Introduction
HTC Corporation is a company producing mobile handset, founded in 1997 by Cher Wang, HT Cho, and Peter Chou, as the chairperson, Director of Board & chairperson and the president and the CEO of the corporation respectively. Based in Taiwan, the company has since been the producer of the operator devices that currently dominates the market in the world.
Its association with the leading mobile operators has led to its popularity among the world’s major markets in the Europe, Asia, and the United States. In the recent past, HTC has been one of the fastest upcoming mobile handset production companies in the world. It was ranked number 3 in the Business Week global ranking in 2006 and was ranked the second in Asia the following year.
Mission
The mission of HTC Corporation was to be the leading pioneering manufacturer of tools used in communication and information technology like mobile handsets and notebook computers. This would be enhanced by provision of quality services and logistics.
Purpose of the Research
The research on HTC Corporation was conducted in order to explore the company’s setting and strategies to obtain information that could be of use even to those companies that compete with it. A study on the prevailing business environment in the company by SWOT analysis would reveal whether the company meets the required specifications. Challenges and their possible solutions are also considered.
It is also aimed at assessing the extent to which the company digs into the world market. Particularly, it explores the company’s investments in countries outside Taiwan and outside the Asian continent as well. In case the company has gone into the world market, the research explores some of the benefits the company has received and some of the areas that need reinforcement.
Finally, the research looks at the leadership of the company. What are the reputations of some of the key figures in the company that could be viewed as a marketing strategy? Possible problems that could be seen in the structure are explored and recommendations given on how to handle them.
The business environment of HTC Corporation- SWOT Analysis
In the SWOT analysis, the business structure and operations of the company is studied. When and why the company started and the products it deals in are discussed. It provides the organization with the information on the resources it has, and the way they can be used in reaction to the prevailing external environment.
The analysis is invalid if no objective solution can be obtained for the threats and weakness identified (Smith para2). HTC Corporation has been a pioneer, developer, and manufacturer of portable mobile products. Its products include smartphones, PDAs phones, and touch phones alongside many other products. These products use Microsoft windows Mobile or Android operating systems.
The company also deals in the development of software for mobile applications like Interface software, operating systems, and other application software. Its involvement in Original Manufacturing Design (ODM) operations has seen the company experience a generally increasing trend in the total annual revenue. It usually uses its brand name on the products, with some other products co-branded by other companies.
The company, that has its headquarter in Tauyuan, Taiwan, has almost 10,000 employees. It has other retail stores in countries in Americas, Asia, and Europe.
In this regard, the following can be the evaluation of the business environment in HTC Corporation:
Strength
The HTC Corporation has a number of factors upon which it can capitalize. Firstly, the company’s use of its brand name enables the distinction of its products from others. Secondly, it also makes use of inventive and innovative procedures, like the involvement in ODM operations, which helps in marketing of the products. The company also has the ability to reach several distributors in the international market.
Besides, its partnership with key player Microsoft and other like Orange, Vodafone, 02, T-mobile and many other network service providers will continue to help the company advance into the market. It also receives high reputations in Asia, Europe, where they have several retail stores, and even in the United States. The corporation can also boast of labor availability due to plenty of human resources. Finally, dealing in a variety of mobile devices and software helps the company develops relations with a variety of dealers.
Weaknesses
The company also has some weaknesses. In the first case, its use of a co-brand name on some products definitely lowers the products’ market, as the consumers doubt its originality. Moreover, the corporation has relatively low reputation among African and South American countries.
Opportunities
There are also areas that the company could look into to challenge the others. Firstly, the need of the customers is never fully satisfied, especially in the current world of technology. Everyday there is a need to improve on the features of a mobile device. The services it can provide and how fast this can be achieved should be a factor to consider. Besides, developing countries could be the best markets for best selling companies dealing in information and technology products since such countries do not produce their own. Competition in such markets is not as stiff as the competition in the markets in the developed states.
Threats
A major threat that faces several production, and HTC Corporation is not exceptional, is copyright. A brand new product is introduced into the market and in the next one-year, similar, counterfeit product dominates the market mostly at lower prices. This leads to the loss of customers’ interest in the product since these fake ones are generally weak and short-lived.
Competition from the other mobile handset providers like Nokia and Samsung is also a challenge that HTC Corporation meet.
Some possible solutions and recommendations
SWOT analysis is a powerful instrument used by the management of an organization to both the external and internal factors affecting their organization and formulating strategies to overcome the negative factors while retaining the positive ones (Karadakis, Kaplanidou & Karlis 1)
The most effective approach in an attempt to withstand the above challenges is to be dynamic and be able to focus on what the future will require of the products manufactured. A chronological study of the generations of mobile devices that have been in existence since the 1960s when Motorola and Erickson dominated the market, the eighties when the huge analogue Vodafone was in place, up to the late nineties when the first message was sent, could help the company to forecast what would be desirable in the future.
As a manufacturer, HTC Corporation needs to adopt the current technology by adding features that are desirable at the time (Warman para15). Following the above trends, a company producing communication devices should currently researching on those that could be used by the challenged individuals in the society. Mobile devices for the blind and deaf should be an area of interest for a truly pioneering firm.
The company should also continue to form partnership with other firms like the one they recently formed with a navigation and solutions provider, Tom. This will enable the company to solve the problems of navigation and locations (Anon Para1).
Ensuring good working conditions is also another area that the corporation’s management should look into. Encouraging co-operation among employees, giving handsome remunerations, allowing a worker to what he is best in, and giving them opportunities to learn more, are the secrets behind the management of any successful companies.
HTC and Globalization
Globalization refers to the interaction of people and companies from different parts of the world usually for strengthening trade between these individuals or companies. It could involve not only individual companies but also the nations themselves. International trade has the advantage of promoting good relation among the participating states.
It has been facilitated by the use of Information Technology, which can enable an organization reach the world faster than it used to be earlier. However, globalization is not a new idea. It could be traced back many centuries when different countries traded with each other (Levi Institute para2). The difference is the adoption of current science and technology to improve the process.
In the recent past, the world market experienced a major crisis with some nations, or continents suffering more than others do. The global crisis had greater negative effects on the countries in the Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The international banking system was then affected in these countries. A research conducted by Berkmen et al (2010) revealed why some countries suffered the aftermath of the 2008 global crisis.
However, globalization is not only associated with fortunes. It comes with some challenges that the managers and professionals concerned must be aware of, and which they must form the required managerial strategies to solve. It continues to ‘create massive change in the world of business and creates both opportunities and challenges for organizations, managers, and professionals of all types’ (Research and Markets: Outsourcing, Offshoring & Globalization continue to Create Massive Change in the World of Business- 250 Leading Outsourcing and Offshoring Companies Profiled para2).
Globalization in the HTC Corporation has not achieved to other competitors in the market like Nokia and Samsung. A web globalization report issued this year showed that Samsung and Nokia were rated fifth and fifteenth with HTC not featuring in the top twenty-five of the most popular website. This implies that, in terms of reaching the world market through the World Wide Web, both Nokia and Samsung will still be superior to HTC Corporation. As the current market wave prevails, greater part of the marketing is done online.
The company is also seen to have established fewer retail stores in Africa and South America compared to their stores in the European, and Asian countries. It is not very popular even in the United States where it has just eight retail stores.
The number of retail stores for the company stands at 1for Sudan and Senegal; 2 for Kenya and Uganda; 8 in the United States; 10 in Qatar and Japan; 38 in the United Kingdom; 80 in the U.A.E; 180 in Hong Kong and almost 2000 in India jus to mention a few. An unbalanced distribution of the retail stores is then evidenced indicating that the company has a lot more to do to compete in the global market.
However, the company is currently in the process of establishing itself in these other countries.
HTC has its North American headquarter in Washington. In effect, it has close relations to the local companies like Microsoft. This enables the companies exchange ideas thereby improving their services through improved technology. The company currently supplies a number of U.S companies with mobile handsets.
The same move should be extended even to the developing countries in Africa and other third world countries in the world. Competition in the market in an almost industrial state like India cannot be compared to the same in Senegal or Uganda where such technologies have not been developed.
Moreover, globalization is not only reaching for the world market. It also require the organization to inquire the current trends in the world markets, what people like and what they do not like in a product and a possible forecast into the future sales. Market and marketing research should thus be an integral part in the business planning of the company.
Leadership
The leadership in HTC Corporation comprises professionals from fields related to business and information technology. This has contributed to effective management of business planning and operations. The information of the profiles of the executives of HTC is available at their website.
Peter Chou: CEO of HTC Corporation
Peter Chou is co-founder and the current Chief Executive Officer of HTC Corporation. He has served the organization since it came into being in 1997. Chou has passion for excellent inventive and managerial skills and through his endeavors, the corporation featured in the world market as a dealer in wireless communication products (HTC Corporation website 2010).
He has served in the Information technology industry for over 20 years and has obtained outstanding achievements while in different capacities in different places. He has led the company during its integrated products development, which has seen the company emerge as the world’s largest manufacturer of smartphones and Windows Mobile PDA phones.
Under his leadership and management, the company has received several award had had been ranked internationally by various agencies. For instance, the Business Week global ranking placed the company at position two in Asia in 2007.
Before co-founding HTC Corporation, he worked with Digital Equipment Corporation as the Server Division Director. He has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan Ocean University. In 2003, he obtained an Executive MBA at National Chengchi University, and in 2006, he completed an Advanced Management program from Harvard School of Business.
Cher Wang- Chairperson of HTC Corporation
Ms Cher Wang is also a co-founder and the current chairlady of HTC Corporation. She has outstanding records and long-term experience in the field of Information Technology. She has been able to help set up successful business plans in the technology sector due to her extensive managerial skills.
She has received several awards and recognition nationally and internationally due to her competence. For instance, Business Week named Wang among the pioneers and innovators in the 2005 Stars of Asia, a program that focuses on those spearheading changes at their organizations. She was also named among the best ten managers in Asia the same year.
Before co-founding HTC, she was the General Manager PC Division. During this period, her relentless efforts enabled the company First International Computers (FIC) feature into the global market of Information technology.
She is the current chairperson of both High Tech Computers (HTC) Corporation and VIA Technologies Inc. Wang has a Master of Economics degree from University of California, Berkeley. She is of Christian faith and married with two children.
HT Cho- Board Member of HTC and Chairman of HTC Foundation
HT Cho is the chairperson of the Board of Directors of HTC Foundation. The Foundation was started in 2002 and was aimed at promoting and supporting education, character development, creating awareness on health issues as well as promoting the spirit of multicultural coexistence. It aims at promoting teamwork, strong values, and the spirits of rational thought among the various communities. The Foundation has financed various training programs for teachers, counselors, and even management staffs throughout Taiwan.
Cho was the president of HTC Corporation between 1997 and 2004. He also became the CEO for one year between 2004 and 2005. His overall competence has helped the corporation establish a working environment that gives room for inventions and innovation by the employees.
Cho was born in 1950 in Taipei county of Taiwan. H pursued a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from Taipei Institute of Technology. He later served Digital Equipment Corporation for 21 years (1975-1996). During this period, he got successive promotions until he became the head of Taiwan Engineering.
Fred Liu- COO of HTC Corporation.
Fred Liu is the Chief Operations Officer of High Tech Computer Corporation. He is charged with the responsibility of directing, overseeing, and managing the operations at the international level.
Having joined HTC in 1998, he has served at different managerial capacities. He has successfully promoted sales of the company’s products like the first generation PDA phones. He saw the company being rated highly in the Guinness Book of world records for overall sales.
He has been in the forefront in the implementation of Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) operations, a strategy that has seen the company advance in its sales at the international market. He was promoted to this position in 2006.
Previously, he had served as a programmer at Mattel Electronics Taiwan and Director of PC Server Engineering at the Digital Equipment Corporation in Taiwan.
Liu has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Tatung University.
Observations and Conclusion
Other than these key figures, the corporation also has vice presidents; country directors, product directors, account directors, and finance directors station different countries where the corporation is established. These are professionals, some of whom have masters and doctoral degrees.
The combination of professionals mainly from the fields of Information Technology and Business is a strong strategy that can enable the company to compete and beat other companies dealing in the same commodity. As has been witnessed, the company allows for, and supports the staff who would wish to advance in education as a way of improving the organization’s overall management.
There is need also to accept that cultural diversity is prevalent and should be prevailing in any organization. What is important is then managing the diversity (Marquez 4).What could be reinforced is the inclusion of people from across cultures in the Executive.
This is because, in order to succeed in the current competitive world market, the organization need to recruit and retain employees from across culture and this should be exercised without biasness (Robinson et al 1). For example, having the top officials as all Christian could lead to bad reputations of the company among the Muslims.
Works Cited
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