Midterm Essays ECON 550MBA From your Case Studies Supplement: Summarize in few sentences each case study + In detail, explain, what you have learned from; Case study #1(Pages 73 – 77) + Case Study #...

Case1 How H-P Used Tactics of the Japanese to Beat Then at Their Game
Summary
Japanese giants NEC Corp had intention to capture the market share from HP in computer-printer market like the one they did before in hand-held calculator market. Usually Japanese break the dominance of the big blue chips like H-P by providing the same prices at extremely low cost and providing better offering at much cheaper levels. However, with HP's strategy to safeguard their market share and sustain the position of market leader in printer market. They had launched inexpensive monochrome inkjet printer much before NEC could introduce anything in the printer market. Furthermore, HP had introduced better design and upgrade model at much cheaper price. This compelled the competitors NEC to withdraw its entry from the market since HP had managed to undercut them and make the entire business model overpriced and uncompetitive for them.
Learnings
The HP case study eliminates common myth regarding the comparative strength of Japan with respect to US that they can exploit American creativity and with their strategies can expel existing players from the market. HP story proves that under the right leadership and strategy that leverages on the abundance of resources available can keep out the competitors and might even throw them out of competition.
HP acted fast and committed themselves in product development such that they were able to create new markets in their business, embrace their market share and make such a lead that can never be achieved by its competitor even if they tried.
Third and most important thing that I learnt was, HP initially operated in high-profit, high-cost products targeting the niche markets. With this traditional mind-set, they had lost the calculator business. However, with leaders like Mr. Richard Hackborn who comprehended the market and evolving customers had changed this corporate strategy by pricing the inkjet printer’s way below the standard profit margins.
Fourth learning from the case is nothing is constant in business and has it has its own swings. Only thing that can be considered near to constant is perseverance to excel. If you are determined and committed to the business then one can always advance by launching technological advanced products.
Learning from competitors, as mentioned by Mr. Richard Hackborn, HP was able to create family of products with its launch of improved inkjet printers as well as line of laser printer for...