Structural Economic Position
Assessment of the item's vulnerability based on its role in the economic hierarchy. Measures 'Value Chain Terminality' vs. 'Cross-Sectoral Versatility'.
Scoring Scale (0-5)
-
0Primary Foundational / Universal
Raw, multi-use feedstock underpinning entire economies; can be diverted between food, energy, and industry (e.g., crude oil, water, grain, electricity).
-
1Secondary Intermediate / Broad-Base
Refined materials or components used across multiple major sectors (e.g., steel, basic chemicals, semiconductors).
-
2Capital Asset / Multiplier
Goods used to produce other goods (e.g., machinery, factory equipment, server hardware); long-life cycle.
-
3Tertiary Input / Specialized
Service or product inputs used in a narrow, specific industry (e.g., aircraft components, specialized software modules).
-
4End-Consumer Essential
Final goods required for immediate consumption (e.g., retail food, residential utility, medicines).
-
5End-Consumer Discretionary
Final goods with no further economic utility; terminal point of the value chain (e.g., fashion, luxury toys). Highest risk of 'dead-end' value.
Score Distribution
How 129 industries score on this attribute
v2.0 scale flip: 5 is now the highest risk (Terminality). High versatility (Foundational) reduces structural risk, while Discretionary items represent a total loss if the final consumer exits.
Industry Examples
129 industriesReal industries from our analysis demonstrating each score level for Structural Economic Position.
8 more industries
Construction of roads and railways ISIC 4210 Courier activities ISIC 5320 Sound recording and music publishing activities ISIC 5920 Wired telecommunications activities ISIC 6110 Renting of video tapes and disks ISIC 7722 Travel agency activities ISIC 7911 Activities of collection agencies and credit bureaus ISIC 8291 Higher education ISIC 853031 more industries
Printing ISIC 1811 Manufacture of consumer electronics ISIC 2640 Manufacture of motor vehicles ISIC 2910 Building of ships and floating structures ISIC 3011 Manufacture of jewellery and related articles ISIC 3211 Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies ISIC 3250 Repair of fabricated metal products ISIC 3311 Materials recovery ISIC 3830 Electrical installation ISIC 4321 Sale of motor vehicles ISIC 4510 Sale of motor vehicle parts and accessories ISIC 4530 Retail sale of clothing, footwear and leather articles in specialized stores ISIC 4771 Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet ISIC 4791 Accommodation ISIC 55 Short term accommodation activities ISIC 5510 Restaurants and mobile food service activities ISIC 5610 Beverage serving activities ISIC 5630 Television programming and broadcasting activities ISIC 6020 Web portals ISIC 6312 Non-life insurance ISIC 6512 Other activities auxiliary to financial service activities ISIC 6619 Real estate activities with own or leased property ISIC 6810 Real estate activities on a fee or contract basis ISIC 6820 Advertising ISIC 7310 Veterinary activities ISIC 7500 Creative, arts and entertainment activities ISIC 9000 Gambling and betting activities ISIC 9200 Operation of sports facilities ISIC 9311 Activities of professional membership organizations ISIC 9412 Repair of computers and peripheral equipment ISIC 9511 Hairdressing and other beauty treatment ISIC 960232 more industries
Manufacture of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products ISIC 2100 Manufacture of computers and peripheral equipment ISIC 2620 Manufacture of communication equipment ISIC 2630 Manufacture of measuring, testing, navigating and control equipment ISIC 2651 Manufacture of irradiation, electromedical and electrotherapeutic equipment ISIC 2660 Manufacture of domestic appliances ISIC 2750 Manufacture of engines and turbines, except aircraft, vehicle and cycle engines ISIC 2811 Manufacture of lifting and handling equipment ISIC 2816 Manufacture of agricultural and forestry machinery ISIC 2821 Manufacture of bicycles and invalid carriages ISIC 3092 Manufacture of furniture ISIC 3100 Construction of buildings ISIC 4100 Plumbing, heat and air-conditioning installation ISIC 4322 Other specialized construction activities ISIC 4390 Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles ISIC 4520 Wholesale of computers, computer peripheral equipment and software ISIC 4651 Retail sale in non-specialized stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating ISIC 4711 Freight transport by road ISIC 4923 Event catering ISIC 5621 Motion picture, video and television programme production activities ISIC 5911 Life insurance ISIC 6511 Management consultancy activities ISIC 7020 Activities of employment placement agencies ISIC 7810 Landscape care and maintenance service activities ISIC 8130 Organization of conventions and trade shows ISIC 8230 Other education n.e.c. ISIC 8549 Hospital activities ISIC 8610 Medical and dental practice activities ISIC 8620 Other human health activities ISIC 8690 Residential nursing care facilities ISIC 8710 Social work activities without accommodation for the elderly and disabled ISIC 8810 Library and archives activities ISIC 910119 more industries
Manufacture of structural metal products ISIC 2511 Manufacture of electric motors, generators, transformers and electricity distribution and control apparatus ISIC 2710 Manufacture of parts and accessories for motor vehicles ISIC 2930 Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery ISIC 3030 Building completion and finishing ISIC 4330 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles ISIC 46 Passenger air transport ISIC 5110 Warehousing and support activities for transportation ISIC 52 Other information technology and computer service activities ISIC 6209 Other credit granting ISIC 6492 Legal activities ISIC 6910 Technical testing and analysis ISIC 7120 Market research and public opinion polling ISIC 7320 Specialized design activities ISIC 7410 Private security activities ISIC 8010 Combined facilities support activities ISIC 8110 Combined office administrative service activities ISIC 8211 Activities of call centres ISIC 8220 Packaging activities ISIC 829219 more industries
Mining of iron ores ISIC 710 Manufacture of vegetable and animal oils and fats ISIC 1040 Manufacture of refined petroleum products ISIC 1920 Manufacture of glass and glass products ISIC 2310 Manufacture of batteries and accumulators ISIC 2720 Manufacture of railway locomotives and rolling stock ISIC 3020 Electric power generation, transmission and distribution ISIC 3510 Construction of utility projects ISIC 4220 Warehousing and storage ISIC 5210 Software publishing ISIC 5820 Computer programming activities ISIC 6201 Computer consultancy and computer facilities management activities ISIC 6202 Other monetary intermediation ISIC 6419 Activities of insurance agents and brokers ISIC 6622 Accounting, bookkeeping and auditing activities; tax consultancy ISIC 6920 Architectural and engineering activities and related technical consultancy ISIC 7110 Research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering ISIC 7210 General cleaning of buildings ISIC 8121 Defence activities ISIC 8422Archetype-Specific Considerations
This attribute has special risk drivers when applied to certain industry archetypes:
Driven by biology, nature, and decay. Time is the enemy.
Risk Driver: Feed vs Food vs Fuel (Triage Risk)
Driven by bits, code, and cognition. Zero marginal cost.
Risk Driver: General-Purpose Technology (GPT) Diffusion
Related Strategies
Strategies that incorporate Functional & Economic Role pillar analysis (17 strategies):
Playbooks Using This Attribute
3 playbooks use ER01 in their feasibility checks:
Rules Using This Attribute
7 risk rules use ER01 in their trigger conditions: