This study outlines how IDC identifies and defines vertical industries.

All of IDC's vertical market research is grounded on data on the economies. When measuring the value of spending or surveying the major trends in IT strategies clear choices on industry vertical definitions are required to validate findings and compare data across segments and geographies.

The study tackles key questions that every IT market planner at vertical industry focused organizations must address, such as

• In This Study
  • Executive Summary
• Situation Overview
  • Elements of IDC's Vertical Taxonomy: Economic Entity, Economic Activity, Criteria of Similarity for Classification
  • Figure: Elements of IDC Taxonomy for Vertical Industries
    • The Enterprise as IDC's Economic Entity
    • What is an Economic Activity?
    • How are Economic Entities Assigned to an Economic Activity and Classified Into a Vertical Industry?
      • Economic Perspective
      • Business Perspective
      • Competitive/Functional View Perspective
  • IDC's Vertical Industry Taxonomy
    • IDC's "Primary" and "Derivative" Vertical Industry Markets
    • Table: Definitions of Vertical Markets Adopted by IDC's Vertical Markets Group Globally
    • IDC's Dual View of NAICS- and SIC-Based Systems for North America
  • IDC's Vertical Industry Market Definitions
    • Definitions of IDC's Primary Vertical Industry Markets
      • Financial Services
      • Discrete and Process Manufacturing
      • Retail/Wholesale Distribution
      • Communications, Transportation, and Utilities
      • Resources and Construction
      • Healthcare Services
      • Professional Services Sector
      • Personal and Other Services
      • Education
      • Government
    • IDC's Derivative Vertical Industry Markets
      • Automotive
      • Energy
      • Healthcare
      • Media and Entertainment
      • Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Market
      • Bio-IT
• Future Outlook
• Essential Guidance
• Learn More
  • Related Research
  • Appendix A
    • Appendix A: IDC's Vertical Industry Taxonomy for North America, Latin America, and Asia/Pacific
    • Table: Definitions of the Vertical Markets Covered by IDC's Vertical Markets Group in U.S.
    • Table: Definitions of the Vertical Markets Covered by IDC's Vertical Markets Group in Asia/Pacific
    • Table: Definitions of the Vertical Markets Covered by IDC's Vertical Markets Group in Latin America
  • Appendix B: IDC's Taxonomy for Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa
  • Table: Definitions of the Vertical Markets Covered by IDC's Vertical Group in EMEA
  • Appendix C: Mapping IDC's Primary Vertical Industry Market Definitions to SIC and NACE Codes
    • Manufacturing
    • Table: Discrete and Process Manufacturing (SIC and NACE Rev. 1)
    • Healthcare Services
    • Professional and Personal/Other Services
  • Appendix D: Mapping IDC's Derivative Vertical Industry Market Definitions to SIC and NACE Codes
    • Automotive
    • Table: Manufacturing and Retail Automotive
    • Table: Automotive-Related SIC Codes Not Used to Define the Automotive Vertical Market
    • Energy
    • Table: Energy
    • Healthcare
    • Table: SIC Codes Used to Define Healthcare as a Vertical Market
    • Media and Entertainment
    • Table: SIC/NACE Codes Used to Define Media as a Vertical Market
    • Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Market
    • Table: SIC/NACE Codes Used to Define Consumer Packaged Goods as a Vertical Market
      • Bio-IT
      • Table: SIC Codes Used to Define Biotechnology, Life Sciences, and Bio-IT
  • Appendix E: Industry Classification Coding Systems
    • Principles and Differences of Industry Classification Coding Systems
      • Objectives of Economic Classification Systems
      • Criteria in Economic Classification Systems
      • Table: List of International Family of Economic and Social Classifications
  • Industry Classification Systems Across Geographies
    • Reference Code Systems in IDC Vertical Industry Research
      • The Reference International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC)
      • Table: The ISIC Two-Digit Codes and Descriptions
      • The U.S. Standard Industry Classification Codes (SIC)
      • Table: U.S. SIC Two-Digit Codes and Descriptions
      • The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
      • Table: NAICS Sectors and SIC Divisions
      • Table: 1987 U.S. SIC Divisions Versus NAICS Sectors
      • Table: 1987 U.S. SIC Divisions Versus NAICS Sectors. Summary of Changes
      • The General Industrial Classification Of Economic Activities Within the European Communities (NACE Rev. 1)
      • Table: The NACE Rev. 1 Sections and Sub-Sections
  • Appendix F: Convergence or Regional Classification Systems and ISICS
  • Synopsis