In information era，business firms should implement information－intensive marketing strategy，use their customer information files to understand customer behavior in the smart market，provide smart products and services for their customers，and compete effectively with the competitors for smart market

In the series of theories interpreting the diversification strategies of the enterprises,the Nine-cell matrix has offered a method which concerned on the outer circumstance of the firm.

Generally, the existence and classification of strategic groups are researched on a whole industry, but the questions are discussed in part of an industry in this paper.

Based on the mobility barriers, the relationship between the financial performance and the strategic groups of 64 key firms within the China iron & steel industry was examined (from 1993 to 1994) with productivity, return on investment and return on assets as performance measurements.

Based on the industrial economic theories,and combined with the particularities of our coal industry and the new situation of being adaptable to WTO,this article presents an analysis on the necessity and implementing procedures for strategic grouping in the coal industry.