Product details

The case describes how Canon has sustained a very high growth rate by continuously building new capabilities and exploiting these capabilities. In particular, the case focuses on the company's organisational structures and management processes that support its ability to build and leverage competencies. The case provides a vehicle for teaching the resource or core competency-based view of strategy. It allows students to understand how such an approach differs from and complements the more traditional conceptualisation of strategy, focused on industry structure. Further, it also provides an opportunity to discuss the organisational attributes necessary to manage a company as a portfolio of capabilities.