MGT 308 Case 1 Analysis
Firewire Surfboards
MGT 308
Summary
In 2005, a group of friends launched Firewire Surfboards trying to create surfboards that anyone could ride and enjoy the waves. Firewire surfboards are supposed to be lighter, stronger, and more flexible than the surfboards of their competition. In 2010, Firewire decided to up their game and introduce a custom board line, as well as a few other things to stay caught up with their competition, including a brand new factory so it has a steady stream of production. Their two biggest competitors are Channel Island and Lost Surfboards. The real difference between Channel Island’s boards and Firewire’s boards is performance, with Firewire offering flexibility and maneuverability never seen before. The trouble with Firewire’s revenues, is the ability to order custom boards from other companies, making Firewire stay in second place. But, Firewire has begun to win over some admirers. Dusty Pane won the Air Strike best-aerial contest on a Firewire board, leaving everyone stunned by the board’s capabilities. Taj Burrow ended up number 2 in the world on a Firewire board, and Shea Lopez raved about his experience with a Firewire board.
Questions
1. Identify and describe Firewire Surfboard’s strongest competitor. How is this rival positioned in the market place? Channel Island is the strongest competitor of Firewire. They are considered the current market leader in high-performance boards, but Firewire is playing catch up with their new technology for their surfboards.
2. Put yourself in the role of Firewire’s entrepreneurial team at the time of the company’s founding. What should they have anticipated in the way of competitor reaction and the response of prospective customers? The company should have anticipated a few things. First, they had no intention to create custom boards for 6 years, which has been a setback in their development. Most surfers use a custom board. Also, older gear has been a preference
MGT 308
Summary
In 2005, a group of friends launched Firewire Surfboards trying to create surfboards that anyone could ride and enjoy the waves. Firewire surfboards are supposed to be lighter, stronger, and more flexible than the surfboards of their competition. In 2010, Firewire decided to up their game and introduce a custom board line, as well as a few other things to stay caught up with their competition, including a brand new factory so it has a steady stream of production. Their two biggest competitors are Channel Island and Lost Surfboards. The real difference between Channel Island’s boards and Firewire’s boards is performance, with Firewire offering flexibility and maneuverability never seen before. The trouble with Firewire’s revenues, is the ability to order custom boards from other companies, making Firewire stay in second place. But, Firewire has begun to win over some admirers. Dusty Pane won the Air Strike best-aerial contest on a Firewire board, leaving everyone stunned by the board’s capabilities. Taj Burrow ended up number 2 in the world on a Firewire board, and Shea Lopez raved about his experience with a Firewire board.
Questions
1. Identify and describe Firewire Surfboard’s strongest competitor. How is this rival positioned in the market place? Channel Island is the strongest competitor of Firewire. They are considered the current market leader in high-performance boards, but Firewire is playing catch up with their new technology for their surfboards.
2. Put yourself in the role of Firewire’s entrepreneurial team at the time of the company’s founding. What should they have anticipated in the way of competitor reaction and the response of prospective customers? The company should have anticipated a few things. First, they had no intention to create custom boards for 6 years, which has been a setback in their development. Most surfers use a custom board. Also, older gear has been a preference