· Scope of Competitive Rivalry: Global; The Black & Decker Corporation is an International Business, Therefore International Rivalry and competition exists.

· Market Growth Rate: Varies for each of Black & Decker's markets ranging from 3-6 percent yearly.

· Number of Companies in Industry: Depending on which segment is surveyed, the number of companies varies. In the Power Tool Industry, Black and Decker has approximately nine major competitors, a few of these include: Bosh/Skil, Makita, Hitachi, and Craftsmen. In the Hardware industry, Black and Decker has approximately ten m

3. The potential entry of new competitors:

Because Black & Decker is an International Corporation, Global competition is expected to increase as time goes on, attempting to gain Black & Decker's market share. Black & Decker must continue to excel in each segment of business, through whatever business means necessary, to retain current customers and to increase its market share.

· Customers: Sales to unaffiliated customers has been on the rise over the years, in the power tools segment, sales have risen from 2,936.4 million in 1997 to 3,209.3 in 1999. In the hardware segment, sales have increased from 804.8 million in 1997, to 881.8 in 1999, and finally in the fastening and assembly systems segment, sales have increased from 451.3 million in 97' to 497.7 in 99'. While many of these sales are from repeat customers, there is still a considerable increase in the number of customers from year to year.

· Industry Profitability: Multi-million dollar segments/power tools alone generate millions in net income each year for Corporations in the business. Black & Decker grossed $3,209 million alone in the power tools business. The demand for each product that Black and Decker produces increases each year, therefore profitability for each of the segments will continue to rise as well.

Black & Decker has no problem obtaining inputs from suppliers because of the input availability and the size of the Black & Decker Corporation.

4. The bargaining power and leverage suppliers of inputs can exercise:

2. The market attempts of companies in other industries to win customers over to their own substitute products:

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Approximate Word count = 1268
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)