They are less useful in conglomerate strategy as they apply to business strategy and not across unrelated industries.

But many of the combinations back then brought together unrelated industries, raising fewer antitrust concerns.

Seeking a way to counter the periodic booms and busts that plagued his textile mills, Mr. Little bought a slew of companies in unrelated industries.

Over the years it branched out into industries as unrelated as thermofaxing, the copying method that preceded xerography, and adhesives.

The flexible, automated techniques needed in HDTV manufacturing could also pay productivity dividends in unrelated industries.

When the commission released similar results in its first report last year, local governments and industries in Canada said it was unfair to compare general statistics on pollution among unrelated industries in different states or provinces.

In 1983, Gulf and Western began a restructuring process that would transform the corporation from a bloated conglomerate consisting of subsidiaries from unrelated industries to a more focused entertainment and publishing company.

Assuming you have both, create a list of attractive but unrelated industries.

Like G.E., 3M is a diversified manufacturer, with more than 50,000 products selling to a host of unrelated industries.

Thus industries unrelated to the military have had little incentive to control quality or improve technology.