Canon Diversification Strategy

The question is, should the company expand horizontally or should the company diversify or expand vertically? There is no clear cut answer to this question. There are advantages and pitfalls to each of these methods and there are many examples of organisation where a certain choice has proven extremely profitable and vice versa. This essay will provide advantages and disadvantages of horizontal expansion by comparing it with vertical and diversified growth. The reader will be presented with the facts and at the end will be allowed to make his own decision. One major deciding factor on growth strategy will be the organisations long term strategy and the behaviour of the Markets, and its competitors.

Recognizing an organization’s alternatives for growth is an important process for companies. By evaluating and selecting the competitive advantages within a market a company can distinguish themselves from their competition. For an organization the “grand strategies indicate the time period over which long-range objectives are to be

4. Expanding the company's product line to meet a broader range of customer needs The company may gain advantage on investing in a different product line. Facing new competitors would be a challenge on the part of the company. There might be opportunities waiting for the company. It is also an additional income for the company if it becomes successful. And to meet the needs of the customers by providing new products would lead to an aggressive and healthy competition. It also helps build the economy of the country if there is new development in companies. And it also leads to high employment because there's a need to hire more employees to implement the new business activities.

Firms must consider many strategies when attempting to realize growth. Depending upon the stage of

In a real sense, it cannot give a correct strategy that can be taken by the competitor because a competitor is flexible to change their decision any time depending on the goals intended. It also does not explain the reasons behind opting for a certain strategy (Li & Yu, 2016).

Novartis, a large multinational pharmaceutical company, recently diversified by buying Alcon, in a £24.8bn deal. Alcon is a producer of eye care products such as contact lenses. Google has diversified by investing £124m in a wind power business. To what extent is diversification the best strategy to achieve profitable growth? Justify your answer with reference to Novartis, Google and/ or other organisations that you know. (40 marks)

Becoming a larger more efficient company with a strengthening competitive position opens up the opportunity for more mergers and acquisitions of competitors, suppliers and/or customers.

A company with a business diversification consistently grew its profit by developing a diversified expansion plan beyond its core boundary compares to a new initiative. Repeatability allows a company to learn the mistakes made and support the systematic growth of the business a complex process. (Zook and Allen, 2003)

When a company grows it achieves economies of scale, it increases its market shares and thus wipes out competition. A company starts making more profits and can use these in constructive ways such as employing specialist workers and improving the variety and quality of products, by delving more into research and development. These are only some of the

Porter (1980) created a model which considers five important forces (Porters five forces) which aims to establish a profitable and sustainable position against the forces that determine industry competition, therefore position themselves within it and differentiating themselves where necessary in order to strategically gain a competitive advantage - this model gives vision of: Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitute products or services, Bargaining power of customers , Bargaining power of suppliers and Intensity of competitive rivalry (Porter 1980). Using models and academic theory like this allows strategy to be formed through a rational and an analytical process. Chandlers (1962) cited in (Lomash 2003) suggests the analytical process is about the determination of long-term clear goals, adopting actions to achieve these goals and then building the resources within the organization around this strategy in order to ensure it succeeds. Johnson (2005), likewise, simply suggested a three step approach to strategy - analysis, choice and implementation which goes hand-in-hand with intended strategy.

2.  Beneficial economies of scale.  If you will be larger, will you truly be better?  Some larger companies cannot respond as quickly to market changes due to their size and the challenge coordinating new directions to employees.  Economies of scale are not always beneficial, so make sure you can quantify that having more of one direction is what you want.

Product diversification is a feasible way to obtain growth through new products. The company can use existing product knowledge to develop the brand into new lines to increase exposure and use similar technology to increase synergies. Leveraging off an existing well-known brand to a market that is familiar with the brand will also increase the possibility of success while maintaining lower marketing costs in

The first represents strategies for maintaining rapid growth when you have a strong competitive position. The second offers rapid-growth strategies when you have a weak competitive position. The third provides strategies that relate to a weak competitive position and slow growth. The final quadrant lists strategies appropriate to strong competitive attributes with slow market growth.” (Johnston, 2012)

Take a look at Canon, its strategies over the years have been very effective in balancing growth of market share and profit in the imaging industry which made Canon a leader in the imaging industry group. Other than the imaging industry, Canon also took a piece of pie in business machines (printer, photocopier) markets and industry machines (semiconductor production equipment, medical equipments…etc) markets (see Picture 2.1). Canon has since late 1960s been focusing on strategic planning process, gradually expanded its business into business machines market and adopting a corporate level strategy of horizontal diversification based on its core competencies. Such continuous development and adoption of various strategies keeps

Conglomerate hope to outperform the overall market growth? Can size and diversity be made an asset rather than a liability?