Case Scenario 1: Romulac, Inc

question 32

Essay

Case Scenario 1: Romulac, Inc.
Romulac Inc. (RI), a subsidiary of a large successful manufacturing conglomerate, supplies a key component in the assembly of residential cooling systems (air conditioning units, etc.). There has been tremendous consolidation in RI's industry, to the point where only five suppliers of this particular component account for nearly 90 percent of U.S. industry sales. Paralleling this trend, its customers-composed of makers of branded residential air conditioning units like Carrier and Trane-have seen similar levels of consolidation in their own industry. Half of these firms produce all their components in-house, while the balance purchases them from specialized component manufacturers like RI. RI's business is extremely capital intensive, and their 40 percent share of the market allows them to also be the most profitable domestic player. Strong competitors exist in Europe and Asia. Although like RI, these foreign players' strongholds are their home regions, with negligible presence outside of the region. Some of
the larger Asian manufacturers have signaled an interest in more aggressively pursuing the lucrative U.S. market. RI is presently considering a $400 million dollar investment in a new plant, which will create a component that is much quieter, more efficient, and is likely to satisfy future regulatory standards. While the core technology for the new component is very old, RI's engineering and design skills have allowed them to retain their low cost advantage, even though the component will represent a significant improvement over products currently provided by its competition.
-(Refer to Case Scenario 1). Assume that you are a consultant and have been asked by the management at Romulac Inc. whether it should be a first mover with the new component technology. Romulac is leaning toward being a first mover because the general evidence is that first movers have greater survival rates than later market entrants. Is this true or false?

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Definitions:

Variable Cost

Charges that adjust in relation to the volume of goods or services produced by an enterprise.

Expansion

describes the phase in a business or an economy's lifecycle where it is growing in size, reach, or production capabilities.

Adjacent Lot

A parcel of land located directly next to or in close proximity to another parcel.

Equipment

Physical assets used in the operation of a business, often requiring significant capital investment.