Problem:
You are the marketing manager for Fujiwama Corporation, an electronics company (fictitious) that specializes in cellular telephones. Your company's share of the cell phone market is 3.1% and you are listed as the #9 cell phone manufacturer in terms of overall percentage of the market. The market is dominated by Nokia (22%), Ericssen (20%), and Motorola (19%), with Samsung coming up fast from behind. You are considerably behind Samsung (#5), which has 11% of the market.
Your CEO has personally approached you and asked you to provide your personal counsel about how Fujiwama might capture greater market share with its product line. CEO Takano Chun is under the gun from the Board of Directors to show better profits.
"What do you suggest we do? The Board of Directors thinks we should be #5 by 2009. Is that doable? Come to my office next Monday with your recommendations," says Chun.
As you go back to your desk to contemplate a strategy, what is the strategic reality of the situation in which Fujiwama finds itself? What strategic direction might it take with its product lines? To what risks might Fujiwama expose itself were it to go all out to gain that #5 market share position?