Babson Case Number: BAB065 | Length: 20 Pages

Abstract

This case is appropriate for undergraduate, graduate, and executive courses on international marketing, strategy, and competitive strategy.

The PC industry was in terrible shape in 2001. As Sony strived to fit the PC into a larger business model that included the sales of digital cameras, MP3 players, camcorders, TVs, cell phones and PDAs, the latter half of 2002 turned out to be financially very challenging for the PC business and analysts were questioning the sustainability of Sony’s successful entry and establishment of its PC business in the US.

The case chronicles the 1995-96 (re)entry efforts and results of the major Japanese firms after a description of the US PC history and the US PC market environment and developments in the period 1995-2000.