BUS 475 Wk 2 – Practice: Internal and External Considerations

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Internal Analysis: Looking Inside the Firm of Honda Corp.

The strategic actions managers take link firm resources and capabilities. For example, investments in R&D labs (managerial actions) are one mechanism that links the resource (engineers) with the firm capability (product innovation). This activity is important because when multiple resources and capabilities are aligned on a single goal, the firm may have a core competency. For instance, Canon’s ability in optics originates not just in the capability of its design engineers, but also in its precision in manufacturing. When a firm’s core competency is at the heart of the product it sells, that product can be considered a core product. In the case of Canon, optics are at the heart of such products as cameras, camcorders, scanners, and projectors.

The goal of this activity is look closely at Honda, and differentiate the important relationships between its firm resources, managerial actions, firm capabilities, core competencies, and core products.

Read the case below and complete the activities that follow.

Since 1959 Honda has been the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. It is also the world’s largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines—the core of many of Honda’s products including sport boats, marine engines, off-road power sport vehicles (e.g., ATVs, snow mobiles), an extensive line of power equipment (e.g., lawn mowers, electric generators, snow blowers), and cars. Over time, Honda has maintained as its core ability a dedication to the engineering and ongoing innovation of these small, reliable, and powerful internal combustion engines.

While Honda invested much in developing and maintaining this competency, in 1960, its management made an important decision that later became central to the creativity and productivity of its engineers and designers. The research and development division separated from Honda Motor Company to form the independent company Honda R&D. This management decision helped facilitate a unique corporate culture built on excellence in innovation and engineering.

Honda R&D continues to build on this important tradition by focusing on the spread of new ideas through cultural and regional diversity; as such, the firm now has five R&D centers located outside of Japan in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and China.