Samsung Electronics and LCD Technology (A‪)‬

The liquid crystal display (LCD) group at Samsung Electronics is faced with a new product development challenge: should it go with product that is well received in the market but the leadership is with the competition or with a product for which the market is yet to be tested but with some remote potential to leapfrog the competition. The case highlights the global nature of competition in high technology industries and the entrepreneurial opportunity for executives to make a difference in positioning their firms for global leadership. The case can be used at two levels - in international business to understand the dynamics of global competition or in marketing to understand the different risks in new product decisions and strategies to counter these risks. Supplements Samsung Electronics and LCD Technology (B) and (C), products 9B04M047 and 9B04M048 look at the events of 2001 and 2004.