Submitted to Prof. Dr. James O’Hara

Students:

Omid Attarnezahd MR101413

Bi Ruizhi MR111046

Fatemeh Baradari MR101424

November 2011

Introduction

SMaL Company came up with credit-size camera

SMaL’s ultra pocket camera was recorded in Guinness world

The first generation had been a commercial success for the company.

Potential Market

Small and Startup company so faced challenges

SMaL should make a decision for the future

Analyzing the case study

SWOT LIFE CYCLE

Competitors

Pixim with combinig CMOS and CCD

Foveon had X3 high quality image

Casio Exilim Company in 2003 in size of back pocket with300 $

Strengths

Credit size with thin Battery Camera Recorded in Guinness world in 2002

Sold more than a half million kits, Revenue reached to 10 million

SMaL had healthy mix of revenue between its three original target markets.

Hit Japanese market in April 2002 and the US market in June 2002

Strengths

Unique benefits of Camera: light weigh -0.2

ounces- long battery life (500 to 1000

images). worked with different light condition

Leadership in using CMOS , Good

partnership with Fujifilm AXIA, Logitech and

Oregon Scientific.

In August 2001, they illustrated Ultra-Wide

W3000 with high resolution and capable to

capture moving images.

Weaknesses

1.Defects of The first digital camera

2.Limited of Resource, investment, money and capital

3.Lack of expert marketing and strategic team. Quick approach: Did not get feedback, Remove ultimate customer

4.Did not focus on upgrading new camera with new demand and technology such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Opportunities

• CMOS is new technology. It is cheap, no bulky, low consumption of power high demand

• Increase the capital of company

• Change the position of market or combine it B2C + B2B

• Increase and improve security and surveillance product. Start produce W3000 in large size

• Penetrate to cellphone industry phone camera

Threats

• Low resolution 0.3MP competitors: 1-3 MP

• Good revenue = big distribution = big organization = many personnel, high skills, more stocks and

equipment ≠ Current SMaL’s status

• No feedback of customers=no expectation= no sell

• Kit was packaged = unchangeable by OEM’s

• New alternative= some compatitors for combining CMOS(cheap, low quality) with CCD(expensive, high quality) Pixim, Foveon, Casio

Life cycle and recommends

1• Research and development

• New Idea

• Staffs very informal working together

• Needs entrepreneur employee and idea

Early 1999

SMaL: want to use CMOS chip for image sensor

Deve

lop

me

nt Stage

• Very informal relationship between superiors and employees

• High performance

• New Technology

• Finding investors

• Recruitment expert managers and employees

Early 1999

SMaL: completed Prototype camera

Sept. 1999

2

Deve

lop

me

nt Stage

Intro

du

ction

Stage

• Good relationship between superiors and employees

• A little informal trend in the organization

• Make Prototype model

• First competitor come up

• Take partners

• Increase employee

• Prepare to produce the production in large size

Early 1999

SMaL: Ultra-Pack Showed in CES, increased 10 people, partnered with Stata,IBM,Motorola,Compaq,…

Sept. 1999

3

Deve

lop

me

nt Stage

Intro

du

ction

Stage

• Start new idea for starting development stage

• Formal relationship in the organization

• Advertise for absorbing investors and catch the market

2001

Gro

wth

Stage

2002

• Mass product

• Multiple supplier

• High volume production

• High revenue and income

Early 1999

SMaL: small organization; Casio’s Exilim; $150 instead of $300?; continue selling kit?; other supplier: Pixim, Foveon; $10M revenue; lack of strategic expert management

Sept. 1999

4

Deve

lop

me

nt Stage

Intro

du

ction

Stage

• Invest for new product and prototype

• Organization is very bureaucracy and attitude is formal

• Organization, superiors and staffs are luxury-oriented

2001

Gro

wth

Stage

2002

Maturity Stage

August 2001 Ultra-Wide W3000

February 2003

• Many competitors (copycat)

2002

• Option1:

Going on to produce (Ultra-

Packet) kit and go to new

stage 5 and 6?

• Option2:

Go to improve and step up

security and surveillance

products: W3000

Early 1999

Sept. 1999

Deve

lop

me

nt Stage

Intro

du

ction

Stage

2001

Gro

wth

Stage

2002

Matu

rity Stage

August 2001 Ultra-Wide W3000

February 2003

• Option 3:

Using VGA tech. in the “Smart”

app. Which is new market called

“Automotive”.(revenue2005)

2002

2005

• Option4:

New CMOS chip and

VGA resolution is

enough for portable

phone. Partner

with Nokia.(Make an

opportunity for 2006)

Middle 2002

• Option5:

Use imaging tech. to a new

place.(new market, new geog.

place, new cycle and stage…

2006

• Limited product design

• Limited investment

• Too many competitor (new tech, copycat)

• Organization is very complexity and too bureacreatic

Early 1999

SMaL: ----

Sept. 1999

5

Deve

lop

me

nt Stage

Intro

du

ction

Stage

• No idea and no new innovation or entrepreneurship

• Decrease profit and rev. with increasing expenditures

• Downsize company, eliminate some part, decrease employees G

row

th Stage

Matu

rity Stage

2001 2002 2003 2002

Saturatio

n Stage

• Decline of production

• Lay off the personnel

• Decrease or eliminate supplier base

• Not recommend new design or continue to produce or design

Early 1999

SMaL: ----

Sept. 1999

6

Deve

lop

me

nt Stage

Intro

du

ction

Stage

• Selling plant or some part of company or going under control of the other company

• Bankruptcy and die the company. G

row

th Stage

Matu

rity Stage

2001 2002 2003 2002

Saturatio

n Stage

De

cline Stage

Question1: What did SMaL do right?

Cont…

• intimacy mode between the managers and new expert engineers

Including

security and surveillance of market

automotive market.

Customer market

Count…

• started with small investment and small organization that was right way.

• CMOS technology for developing cameras

• The company not only had a good B2C position but also a good B2B position for relationship with other business firms.

Question2: What did SMaL do wrong?

Count…

-

• limited resources.

• they could not get the customers feedback about their products.

-

• they did not follow these ideas because the lack of money and resources they produced and sold their kits to earn more money and revenue

- • make a decision on right way to show their solutions to

the other companies.

Count…

The company couldn’t offer the product to satisfy the needs of market.

Don’t have enough information. Not enough prepare to be blind to development

The company wanted to develop each process fast, But they don’t realize it is impossible to reach this point with the company’s scale

Question3: What should SMaL do in the future?

…

add on more advanced features

Enter security and surveillance efforts

Separate team, which developed a series of

video products to do the video and keep them

busy on the video.

capture a camera which has a widely, panoramic images Commercializing

the high technology

…

The company need to be flexible the form to

be adapted to this system.

The company should be convinced that it

product had a compelling value

proposition.

Develop the cameras in phones

assess the employees (improving the amount

and quality)

…

Picking up speed the time frame

Progress the automotive efforts.

enhancing the camera technology to make

the satisfactory for the different market.

try to take a “left turn” into completely new

applications

• Thank you for your attention