TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY Sharp's corporate philosophy is to use its innovative technology “to contribute to the culture, benefits and well-being of people around the world” (Noda 25). Sharp constantly seeks to position itself as a leader in innovation, further supported by its corporate credo, which states to “constantly be aware of the need to innovate and improve” (Noda 25). However, this focus on innovation and creativity has not always been consistent with how the company has been run. The company's history is dotted with periods of innovation and imitation. The company was founded on innovation when Hayakawa opened a small shop to produce carabiner belt buckles of his own design. Three years later, he invented the first mechanical pencil and business grew rapidly until the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 wiped out the small factory. When Hayakawa resumed the business, it was to assemble crystal radios that he had reverse engineered from one imported from the United States. Thus began a long period of imitation, manufacturing products invented elsewhere. Sharp operated in industries where products were easy to imitate and followed a dominant design. In addition to producing refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners, Sharp also produced televisions licensed from RCA and microwave ovens licensed from Litton. Although Hayakawa promoted innovation, “the company remained primarily an assembler” of consumer goods (Noda 2). Sharp's relatively small size and limited capital have prevented it from developing a vertically integrated business and forced it to contract with other companies for significant portions of the value chain. This meant that he could not maintain control over his own intelligence… middle of paper… Early adopters of the Wizard would eventually convince most of the market to abandon their old paper organizers in favor of better ones. , a more portable system. Sharp's business philosophy is to focus on developing innovative products that benefit people and society. However, for much of its history, the company was too small to successfully develop and market its own new products and instead relied on imitating others. Only recently has the company grown enough to be able to research and develop new technologies and innovative products that truly differentiate it from its competitors. Works Cited Noda, Tome. “Sharp Corporation: Technology Strategy.” Harvard Business School Boston: Harvard Business School Publications, 1993. Print.Shane, Scott. Technology strategy for managers and entrepreneurs. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print.