Case Study : Htc Corp.

HTC’s competitive position is not sustainable. In fact, the disappointing financial performance in Q1 2012 and the increasingly decreasing operating margin all points to a slower growth. Besides the statistics, HTC also face several imminent threats, such as the popularity of Samsung and Apple’s smartphone offering, the increase in competitors in the smartphone market, the shift in market, from operator push to brand pull, and the ongoing patent war with Apple. However there are also opportunities HTC can take advantage of to keep its competitive position. The opportunities are presented in the high growth rate of Smartphone Market, 61% in 2011, and the lack of well made Android Tablet.

* HTC’s average product life cycle is approximately 3 quarters, which is about half of the industry average. This will give HTC more flexibility to react on market responses.

Apple Inc. is a well-known company that designs, produces and markets media devices, personal computers, and mobile communication. Also, the company sells related software, network solutions, peripherals, applications and digital contents (Johnson et al., 2012). The company is best known for its devices including iPad, iPod, iPhone and Macintosh computers. The most famous of the devices is the Macintosh computers released in 1984 as it utilized a Graphic User Interface. This protocol allows users to use a mouse to activate pictures on the computer and has been exploited throughout the industry in all modern computers. The first smartphone in the world was the iPhone that acted as a mini-computer that has similar features of a computer.

“In my opinion, the Case would be improved by including the following summary” An American agriculture of the nineteenth century Cyrus McCormick, invented a company that produced farming equipment called McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. In 1902 his son Cyrus McCormick II merged the company with three competitors renaming it the International Harvester Company. By the late 1980’s the company had moved from producing farming equipment to manufacturing automotive products, trucks, and school buses. In the late 1980’s International Harvester company was renamed Navistar International Corporation. Over the years NIC changed and one of the most dramatic changes was the relationship with its longtime auditor Deloitte. (Knapp, 2015)

Just recently, CNH Industrial and Navistar Inc. confirmed the appointment of Iveco to be the sole distributor of INTERNATIONAL® trucks in the country of Australia. This announcement then ends the rumors about which "International" would make its comeback to the said country, after Navistar unveiled the initial plans during the Brisbane Truck Show last year.

Hewlett Packard also known as HP was founded by William Hewlett and Dave Packard in a small rented garage in Palo Alto, California which is now known as the original Silicon Valley. HP is one of the world’s largest Information Technology (IT) companies operating on a global level. HP specializes in computers, computer systems and software. Also, in the development and manufacture of hardware, software design, service delivery as well as data storage. Identified Strategies

This paper explores the strategic actions that HTC can adopt in order to become a leading smartphone company

“HTC 's mission is to become the leading innovative supplier of mobile information and communication devices by providing value-added design, world-class manufacturing and logistic and service capabilities.”

Distinctive marketing campaigns have been a strategy of Apple to attract customers and to spread the information among them. Television commercials, Print Advertisements, Posters in Public areas and wrap advertisement campaigns have been successful ways of outshining the new product. Apple continues to command a market premium for producing a “better mousetrap” throughout its history. Steve Jobs personally unveils all new product introductions, reviews corresponding marketing campaigns and approves new product development guidelines. This adds to better targeting to the market and consequently, it is a special concern of company’s CEO.

HTC Corporation (HTC) is a Taiwanese operation founded in May 1997 in Taiwan, which is one of the most influential, creative and leading players in global telecommunications with an n increasing influence in the industry’s future (HTC quietly billion, 2012). HTC’s portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by the Android and HTC Sense™ operating systems (HTC Annual Report, 2010). Focusing on smartphone market; devoting to innovation and design in the mobile phone industry; and committing to develop exceptional technology and products to cater for the diverse and exceed needs of users are HTC’s current brand strategies. In addition, HTC response to market changes fast and provides

smartphones, first dual-mode GSM/ WiMAX phone, first 3G Android phone, and first 4G LTE Android phone. Also, HTC Sense, launched in 2009, was a momentous breakthrough that revolutionized the mobile phone experience. Consistent innovative product launches also enhance the visibility of the company 's brand. The company 's significant R&D capabilities gives it’s a competitive edge to reach the market first with many industry leading innovations and features. Strong relationships with industry leaders The company has strong relationships with many technology companies and telecom service providers. It maintains strong long-term partnerships with technology industry leaders, including Microsoft, Google and Qualcomm, which serve as active labs of research and development and product evolution. For instance, HTC 's launch of the world 's first Windows Mobile smartphone and first Android smartphone is an example. These partnerships ensure that the hardware, software, and content management and delivery systems are united in seamless and intuitive ways. HTC 's products are currently sold through major carriers and local retail channels in major markets in Europe, the Americas and Asia.

India was lucrative since the Indian handheld market is booming and slowly becoming one of the world’s biggest and fasted growing markets. There being a lack of certain technology, gives HTC the opportunities to fill new market gaps. The company’s products are standardized for the global market, while strategies are adapted to respected countries. HTC seems to be efficiency seeking when looking especially at the Indian market. HTC is selling phones globally and in India they are trying to succeed through International Specialization. The company was benefiting at first, from the lack of top of the line mobile phones in the Indian market. Its future strategy is to keep this trend going. The company is trying to take over the top and middle class mobile phone market in India by being the first to offer the latest and greatest technology available and ignoring the lower class mobile market. It managed to do so already by introducing the first fully touch phone and fully Android powered phone.

Microsoft is the most established software giant and Nokia is the company that is the icon for electronic and communication equipments. Microsoft had a partnership with the computer manufacturer IBM that made the software of Microsoft from DOS to modern Windows 8 famous and most used. The same underlying principle of symbiosis has been used inn this alliance. There are many reasons why Microsoft had to enter the cell phone industry. Arch Rival Apple came out with the iPhone and revolutionized the mobile world. Though the gadget was not a direct competitor, Microsoft was out of a huge potential market, namely the mobile segment.

Hewlett Packard began in 1939 in Palo Alto, California. The company was founded by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard who were friends at the time and remained that until both of their passing. Hewlett Packard has been a leader in technology that encompasses globally, into space exploration, the entertainment industry, the medical industry, the hospitality industry, and many others. In the early 2000’s, the economic landscape was changing globally and Hewlett Packard was beginning to feel the financial hardships of a very competitive industry. In an effort to remain competitive, Hewlett Packard and Compaq decided upon a merger that did aid in transforming both companies, but only to a degree.

HTC Corporation, formerly High Tech Computer Corporation, is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of smartphones founded in 1997. The company initially made smartphones based primarily on Microsoft 's Windows Mobile software, but in 2009 it began to shift its focus away from Windows Mobile devices to devices based on the Android operating system.