Leica Camera: A "Boutique" Firm Faces a World of Change

S. Venkataraman, Gerry Yemen, Bill Chapman
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Abstract

This case is used in the course elective "Strategic Post-Merger Integration," and in Darden's Global EMBA strategy course. Well suited for MBA, Executive MBA, GEMBA, and executive education programs, this case describes the circumstances at Leica Camera, the famed German manufacturer of high-end cameras, and allows for an analysis of the firm's competitive position. Although the company decides to stop production of its R-system camera and lenses, a backlash from users surfaces. That leaves the case open to exploring the uncertainty over achievable sales volume for the R-series lenses as well as where the company fits in the market as new and less-expensive competitor products gain popularity. The case provides an overview of the competitive style of major camera and lens manufacturers and allows a discussion of core capabilities of these competitors. What products would secure Leica's future? Was there development potential for a new universal system? The case describes an issue that many organizations face today—how to decide whether components are strategically critical. Excerpt UVA-S-0225 Rev. May 16, 2014 LEICA CAMERA: A “BOUTIQUE” FIRM FACES A WORLD OF CHANGE Leica must be kept from becoming a boutique firm for the nostalgically minded. —Dr. Josef Spichtig, Leica chairman, 2005 annual report Leica Camera AG CEO and principal owner Andreas Kaufmann was melancholy while strolling the floor of photokina—the world's largest photography industry trade fair. The biannual event took place in Cologne, Germany, less than 100 miles from Leica's headquarters in the small town of Solms. Being so close to home made Kaufmann feel more like a host than an attendee, and after having had another tough year in 2008, he did not relish the spotlight. Kaufmann had fired the previous CEO, Steven K. Lee (an American), a few months earlier after Lee's efforts to turn around the struggling company had rubbed longtime German employees the wrong way. . . .
徕卡相机:一个“精品”公司面对一个变化的世界
本案例被用于选修课“并购后的战略整合”和达顿全球EMBA战略课程。本案例非常适合MBA、emba、GEMBA和高管教育课程。本案例描述了德国著名的高端相机制造商徕卡相机的情况,并分析了该公司的竞争地位。虽然该公司决定停止生产r系统相机和镜头,但用户的强烈反对浮出水面。这就为探索r系列镜头可实现销量的不确定性,以及随着竞争对手推出的价格更低的新产品越来越受欢迎,该公司在市场上的定位留下了余地。本案例概述了主要相机和镜头制造商的竞争风格,并讨论了这些竞争对手的核心能力。什么样的产品能保证徕卡的未来?一个新的通用系统是否有发展潜力?这个案例描述了当今许多组织面临的一个问题——如何决定组件是否具有战略重要性。摘录UVA-S-0225 2014年5月16日修订版:徕卡相机:“精品”公司面对变化的世界徕卡必须避免成为怀旧的精品公司。是。徕卡相机股份公司首席执行官兼主要所有者安德烈亚斯·考夫曼在世界上最大的摄影工业贸易展览会photokina的地板上漫步时,心情忧郁。这个一年两次的活动在德国科隆举行,距离徕卡在索姆斯小镇的总部不到100英里。离家这么近,让考夫曼感觉更像是一个主人,而不是一个参与者。在经历了又一个艰难的2008年之后,他不喜欢聚光灯下的生活。几个月前,考夫曼解雇了前任首席执行官史蒂文·k·李(美国人),因为李为扭转这家陷入困境的公司所做的努力惹恼了长期在德国工作的员工. . . .
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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