ACCA BT Syllabus A. The Business Organisation And Its External Environment - Industrial & Commercial Sectors - Notes ^{4 / 5}

Industrial sector includes companies that manufacture parts as well as those that assemble them into finished products.

A number of specific industries fall under the industrial umbrella, including automotive, aeronautics (aircraft building), textiles, pharmaceutics, bioengineering and metal casting.

Food refineries and packagers generally fall under the industrial category because of the types of facilities necessary for production.

Commercial private sector industries are additionally subdivided in two ways

1. Retailers

   = commercial industries who sell goods to the general public.

   This includes traditional outlets such as grocery stores, specialty shops, department stores and drug stores, but also includes online outlets such as online clothing stores or online book sellers.

2. Wholesalers

   Some commercial private sector industries buy from manufacturers and sell to retailers. 

   Not all commercial industries involve wholesalers. 

   In some cases, the retailer can buy directly from the manufacturer. 

   Industries that commonly use wholesalers include manufactured office supplies and home goods.

In summary, the main industries in which organisations operate are:

1. agriculture

2. manufacturing

3. extractive raw materials

4. energy

5. retailing/distribution

6. intellectual production

7. service industries