1. How was Samsung able to go from copycat brand to product leader? In 1993, Lee unveiled “new management” which is a top-to-bottom strategy for the Samsung Company. The goal of the new management is making Samsung become a premier brand that would dethrone Sony as the biggest consumer electronics firm in the world. Samsung then hired a new group of young designers who creates sleek, bold, and beautiful product targeting high-end users. Also, Samsung abandoned low-end distributers, and they decide to choose to work with specialty retailers such as Best Buy and Circuit City. Samsung clearly shows that they are no longer the cheap brand.
2. Is Samsung’s product development process customer centered? Team based? Systematic? I believe Samsung’s product development process all these three approaches since the “new management” is a top-to-bottom strategy; it requires various company departments to work together. In addition, every new Samsung product had to pass the “Wow!” test: If it didn’t get a “Wow!” reaction during market testing, it went straight back to the de-sign studio. It is definitely creating more customer satisfying experiences, and the test is also how Samsung review, evaluate and manage the new products.
3. Based on the PLC, what challenges does Samsung face in managing its high- tech products?
After 17 years remarkable success, Samsung is now in the decline stage of their high-tech products; therefore, Lee has announced Samsung’s newest strategy “mabuljungje” which means “horse that does not stop” in Chinese axiom, and he think now is not the time for Samsung to complacent but a time to run. 4. Will Samsung likely achieve its goals in markets where it does not dominate, such as smartphones? Why or why not? I believe Samsung can achieve its goals in markets where it does not dominate basically because they does not claim to know what will replace today’s products as they become obsolete. Rather, it is