GranuLab (C): internationalizing GranuMaS
Publication date: 17 October 2012
Abstract
Subject area
The area of focus is on internationalization strategies, specifically on developing suitable strategies to support an internationalization initiative of a new medical device company.
Study level/applicability
This case is designed for final year undergraduate and MBA students. It is suitable for courses of organizational management, organization theory and design, strategic management, and international business as well as international marketing.
Case overview
GranuLab, a medical device company that produced the synthetic bone graft substitute GranuMaS, aspired to be a high-growth company. To achieve this aspiration the company had made plans for internationalization, which include penetrating the ASEAN, Middle East, Latin American, and African markets within the next five years. By December 2010, GranuLab had completed the construction of its new manufacturing facility in Shah Alam, about 30km from Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur. This manufacturing facility had the capability to produce high volumes to support the company's high growth plan. However, the company's internationalization processes had taken longer than expected and this has led to a low business volume. By mid-2012, the company was forced to make a quick decision as it had suffered a year and a half of operations losses. GranuLab had to formulate a strategy as to how to position GranuMaS and penetrate the targeted markets. Failure to internationalize would incur even greater losses and might hinder the achievement of its high growth aspiration by 2015.
Expected learning outcomes
This case is designed to stimulate case analysts' thinking into providing recommendations for the appropriate internationalization strategies to be adopted by the management team to ensure that the company could succeed in achieving its goals. The case will expose students to the concepts and theories of strategic management, international business, international entrepreneurship; and facilitate the development of students' abilities to apply those concepts in managerial situations.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The study was funded by a UKM university-industry research grant, code INDUSTRI-2011–031, entitled “Innovation and entrepreneurship in medical device industry” and GranuLab (M) Sdn. Bhd as the industry partner. The authors wish to thank Mr Romli Ishak of GranuLab for access to the company's information, and Nur Suryana Muhamad, Hafizah Omar Zaki, Nurul Atasha Jamaludin, and Rosma Nadianti Risman for their research assistance. This case was developed based on interviews with the founders and key person in the company as well as information gathered from the public domain. It is intended exclusively to facilitate the teaching of international business theories and does not imply effective or ineffective managerial decisions.
Citation
Adham, K.A., Said, M.F., Muhamad, N.S., Sarkam, S.F., Senik, Z.C. and Isa, R.M. (2012), "GranuLab (C): internationalizing GranuMaS", , Vol. 2 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/20450621211320524
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited