At the turn of the 20th century, Norway’s economy largely rested on its primary sector spanning fishing, agriculture and forestry. Traditional economic activities included fish farming and fisheries too. For women in Norway, fish processing has always an important source of employment and fish farming continues to develop so as to expand to more varieties. Agricultural prospects of this economic structure began to change with the development of hydroelectric power through the various waterfalls in the country.
The availability of cheap electricity triggered expansion of Norway secondary sector. Norway economic structure witnessed a growth-oriented change as it spearheaded metallurgical and chemical manufacturing activities. Manufacturing of iron alloys, aluminum and fertilizers began on a large scale. Shipbuilding and furniture making also emerged as thriving economic activities in Norway secondary sector. In fact, Norway has the fourth largest fleet in the world.
The retailing industry is expanding well in the Norway tertiary sector. Norway’s four major grocery retailers, Norgesgruppen, Coop Norge, Reitangruppen, and ICA Norge head the overall retailing market in Norway, with their combined value share of 36%. They follow the traditional, store-based retail model. Norway’s leading home shopping companies, De norkske bokklubbene and Redcats, reported that 50% of their sales are through Internet orders. It is clear that Internet retailing in Norway is fast evolving as a popular option for consumers who enjoy online shopping and its simple order process.