 There are always developments that are out of your control, and 2003 was no exception. We witnessed a nationwide strike in Venezuela, a new bottle deposit law in Germany, economic and political fallout from
the war in Iraq, the spread of SARS, unfavorable weather in Japan and some parts of North America, and a generally sluggish global business climate. What matters, though, is how well you respond—how quickly you’re able to adjust with your bottling partners and customers to
the new circumstances. I think the Coca-Cola system acquitted itself pretty well to the challenges in Venezuela, Germany, China, Japan and throughout the world in 2003.
 Of course, not everything went the way we wanted it to go. But by and large, I think the Company’s performance during 2003 demonstrates a few important things. It illustrates—again—the virtues of being a truly international company.
It shows that having deep roots in local communities allows us to continue to operate reliably when market conditions change. And it confirms that we really are making progress toward our strategic priorities. |
