Canon Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Canon Case Study - Essay Example siness the company is to pursue, with the nature of the activities it intends to be and the nature of the economic and non-economic contribution it intends to make to its shareholders and stakeholders†. In effect, it corporate strategy maps out a sense of direction for a company’s activities. Corporate strategy in effect maps out the businesses in which an organisation intends to compete in (Andrews, 1997, Lynch 2006). To formulate its corporate strategy, many researchers have call on organization to assess their strengths and weaknesses, as well as its environmental threats and opportunities, so as to give the organization an edge in chosen among alternative courses of action. (Hofer and Schendel, 1984) cited in Schneider, (1998). Thus, it is recommended that an organization performs a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis prior to formulating corporate strategy. Today’s numerous challenges have pushed companies not to compete as individual companies but to try and corporate with other businesses in their activities (Wu & Chien 2007:2). Canon an electronic company began in Japan with a typical and traditional Japanese business form having customer’s satisfaction and profit as its center of attention while specializing in the production of business machines, cameras, optical and other electronics. The company was founded by the first Chief executive officer Gerard in Japan and the father who later recruited a team of outstanding professionals to support its activities. In less than three decades of operation, the company assumed leadership role in the electronic market (Lynch 2006). Thanks to its innovative focus ideas, huge investment on research and development, good employee’s retention, and differential focus strategies, Canon innovative ideas and the company’s cost focus and differentiation strategy earned it that position. Canon case has been analyzed using some analytical models. From figure one above, Porter