CHANGING CORPORATE CULTURE WITHIN THE EUROPEAN LEAD-ACID-BATTERY INDUSTRY

Recent economic and political factors have had a strong influence on t he lead/acid battery industry in both West and East Europe. Since the publication in 1989 by Batteries International and The Lead Developmen t Association of a map of European battery factories, the number of ba ttery companies has declined. By 1992, a significant shift had taken p lace in the share of the lead/acid battery market in Europe with the r esult that a few companies came to influence a major proportion of bat tery production and sales. The reasons for this relatively fast struct ural change are examined. Under the pressure from continuing internal and external forces, likely outcomes for battery business in Europe ar e proposed as the lead/acid industry changes to meet new challenges.