Sharp Corporation Case Study Solution

Introduction

Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, Sharp Corporation was a company dealing in electronics. The firm’s operations encompassed electronic products and electronic components. The electronic components were categorized into audio-visual and communication, health and environment equipment, and information equipment. On the other hand, LCDs, solar cells and other electronic devices made up the electronic components. Sharp’s know how in opto-electronics was significant in ensuring success of these components.

The major focal point of the Sharp’s technology strategy was on synergies between the electronic components and the end products that were made by Sharp. Indeed, the end consumer products offered constituent sales along with prospects

In the last decade, Sharp had achieved recognition as a first-class competitor in electronics products. In fact, the firm boasted of leading position in the cell phone handset and TV set markets in Japan. Further, the company gained recognition worldwide as a leader in liquid display (LCD) expertise. In spite of the accomplishments, the firm recorded its first loss since 1956 in 2009 when its shares commenced trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Katayama acknowledged that he was responsible for the great anxiety and trouble to the company’s shareholders due to not only the worldwide recession that led to reduced sales, but also the fundamental way in which Sharp was conducting its

Nonetheless, the production of the TFT-LCDs proved difficult and costly, making the approval to applications where the low energy usage and flat design of the LCDs were complete requirements limited. In this regard, Sharp identified display applications where the displays were eye-catching regardless of their high costs and small size, including navigation systems and laptop computers.

The other reason for the firm’s success in the LCDs emanated from its continued efforts to push for the development of proprietary devices along with the creating of upcoming generation of inventive novel products. Indeed, Sharp developed products that used LCD such as opto-electronics, then enhance, and improve the components and products ahead of competition in the market. The strategy was fundamental and necessary since it enabled the firm to toughen its aptitude in engineering and development of LCD components and