Strategic perspective
The strategic perspective of Canon has traditionally been inside-out orientated. The company had a product focus whereby it deploys its technological capabilities to develop a diverse range of products, which it then markets on the strength of its brand through a wide range of dealer network and direct sales channel. The advantage of this method for a company like Canon is that it is able to leverage its expertise to develop a wide range of unique products. The costs associated with such developments would relatively be lower as it leverages on existing capabilities. The experience gained in the use of the underlying technology should result in high quality products. There is however the potential danger that the company may be unaware of changing trends and requirements in the market and therefore be unable to respond swiftly, giving competitors an advantage. It would appear however that Canon's strategy is not exclusively inside-out, but has some elements of market focus. The development of the personal copier market for instance was based on an identified need in the market, with a clear description of the features of the product that would meet the need. This was clearly base on an outside-in approach. In addition, one of the major reasons that Canon values its dealer network is because it enables that company to understand and respond to customers needs.
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