Generic strategies in emerging market start-ups - A case study in the solid state lighting industry

Abstract

This qualitative case-study examines a start-up company in the emerging solid state lighting industry to explore how management has worked with strategy and what challenges the company faces in an emerging market environment. Porter (1980) suggested the use of his generic strategies to help position the company better against what he refers to as the five competitive forces. It is examined in the study if the generic strategy approach suggested by Porter (1980) can be applied, and what potential conclusions can be made regarding the use of the generic strategies in an emerging market. It was found that implicitly existed a differentiation focus strategy suggested by Porter (1980) and although the use of this strategy does not provide a complete answer as to why the company has survived and prospered in the industry, it does provide an important explanation.