Intel's International Strategic Management

Intel has reported a 12% boost in net profits to $2.01bn for the third quarter, contrasted with an income of $1.79bn in the year-ago quarter, on profits up 1% at $10.21bn. Operating profits rise 12% annual to $3.09bn, whereas weak EPS rise 17% to $0.35. (Des Laffey 2009, p14-18) The corporation also repurchased 93 million shares of common stock for $2.1bn throughout the period. It said mobility income rise 18% annual to $4.68bn, whereas digital venture profits fell 3% to $5.31bn, and profits from ‘others’ chop down 64% to $218m. (Edward 2009, p352-60)

Organically, Asia Pacific profits rise 3% to $5.38bn, whereas US profits cut down 9% to $1.88bn. Europe income increases 3% to $1.88bn, whereas Japan profits grown up 7% to $1.05bn. The sales incorporate an after-tax mutilation incriminate of $162m linked with its speculation in Numonyx, a flash-memory cooperative project with STMicroelectronics. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14) Product selection, well-built cash flow, promise to positioning innovative technology and market impetus will allocate Intel to outpace peer corporations at a time when trade levels are hard to forecast. (Robert 2009, p134-43)

Intel’s international business Strategy

Intel Corporation (Intel) is a semiconductor chipmaker, offering sophisticated technology answers for the technology and communications corporations. (Daft 2003, p27-29) Intel’s products comprise of microprocessors, chipsets, motherboards, flash memory, and communications infrastructure parts (together with network and entrenched processors), wired and wireless connectivity goods, goods for networked storage space, appliance processors, and cellular baseband chipsets. (Lewandowski and Höchstötter 2008, p309-40) Intel’s consumers comprise original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and original design manufacturers (ODMs), personal computer (PC) and network communications goods consumers, and further manufacturers. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14)

Its platforms comprise of principles and programs for example wireless fidelity (WiFi) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), hardware and software that might comprise technologies for example Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Technology), Intel Virtualisation Technology and Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT), and other offering services. The corporation functions through three operating parts: digital enterprise, mobility and all other. (Robert 2009, p134-43)

In the first segment of 2008, the corporation accomplished the divestiture of its flash memory assets to Numonyx. The Digital Enterprise Group (DEG) offers computing and communications stands for production and service providers. (Robert 2009, p134-43) The goods of this section are integrated into desktop personal computers, the infrastructure for the World Wide Web and project computing servers. DEG’s goods comprise microprocessors, and associated chipsets and motherboards premeditated for the desktop (with customer desktop), in addition to enterprise computing market parts and communications systems parts, for example network processors and embedded microprocessors. (Lewandowski and Höchstötter 2008, p309-40)

The corporation produces platform answers grounded on its microprocessors, chipsets and motherboard goods, which are designed for use in the desktop marketplace section. The ‘other’ section comprises the digital home cluster, the digital health cluster and the control platforms cluster. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14) The digital home cluster performs computing and communications platforms for customers at residence, including amusement applications and customer electronics appliances. Its products comprise microprocessors and chipsets for in house activity PCs, and entrenched consumer electronics designs, for example digital televisions, video recorders and set-top boxes. (Lewandowski and Höchstötter 2008, p309-40)

The digital health cluster aims international trade prospects in healthcare study, diagnostics and output, and individual healthcare. It concentrates on healthcare information innovative and sophisticated technologies, private health products and bio-medical goods. The channel platforms cluster builds the corporations global existence in international industry. (Jarzabkowski 2004, p529-60)

Additionally, it produces platform solutions intended to meet up home industry needs in certain geographies. The corporation’s business enterprise capital association, Intel Capital, makes equity reserves in technology start-ups and corporations globally. Intel Capital spends in a variety of corporations offering hardware, software and other product services, targeting venture, home, mobility, health, customer Internet and semiconductor production. (Dave 2007, p381-82)

Basis of competitive advantages

Intel is the global leading semiconductor chip producer, innovating incorporated digital technology platforms for the computing and communications market. (Vaara, Kleymann, and Seristo 2004, p1-36) The corporation has a strong industry place in all of the three sub sections of the microprocessor industry: desktop, mobile, and server. Important product names for Intel consist of: Core 2 Duo, Pentium D and Pentium 4 in desktops; Core 2 Duo, Core Duo and Pentium M in notebooks; and Xeon and Itanium in servers. In 2008, Intel had an industry share of 13.3% in the semiconductor industry, whereas Samsung Electors, the second leading seller, had an industry allocate of 8.7%. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington 2008, p28-33)

Intel has a leading product figure, which it has effectively recognised in spite of operating in a market where products are progressively more becoming commoditised. More prominently, the corporation has managed to magnetise the interest of customers through its’ Intel Inside’ product promotion. (Sutherland and Canwell 2004, p10) Business Week’s Interbrand Best Global Brands 2007 has positioned company at the seventh position, with a product worth of $30,954 million. Company has a strong industry position and product image, which augments its bargaining control and enhances shareholder buoyancy. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington 2008, p28-33)

Basis of competitive advantages in international market

Traditionally, company has been a principal in introducing innovative technologies, in addition to revolutionary innovative manufacturing processes. Having the mainly superior manufacturing equipment offers noticeable benefits, with lesser cost and the aptitude to manufacture higher performance goods. (Lynch 2005, p18) Company plans to initiate an innovative microarchitecture roughly every two years and incline the next invention of silicon development technology in the superseding years, giving Intel a roadmap for incessant development in its key product lines. (Stacey 2007, p91) In 2008, company started manufacturing microprocessors supported on its 45nm Hi-k metal gate silicon expertise, and is predictable to initiate an innovative micro architecture on 45nm development machinery in 2008. (Edward 2009, p352-60)

The corporation is also operational on the 32nm process technology, with strategy to manufacture the innovative technology in 2010. Well-built technological potentials have helped company hasten product growth. The corporation’s innovative product launches in 2007 incorporated Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Duo processors, Quad-core and dual-core Intel Xeon processors, and Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processors manufactured using 45nm technology. Intel also initiated storage server SSR212MC2 for SME’s operations, and company Ultra Mobile Platform 2007 for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and ultra-mobile PCs, amongst others. (Edward 2009, p352-60)

Intel system of manufacturing amenities, and congregation and experiment facilities, offers it a viable advantage over fables semiconductor corporations, for example Broadcom Corporation, NVIDIA, QUALCOMM, and VIA Technologies. This leading scientific competence enhances the corporation’s product portfolio. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington 2008, p28-33)

Value chain analysis

With the beginning of the E-commerce inducement in 1998 company has came out as the industry giant in the design and production of semiconductors and microprocessors, earlier to execution of E-commerce “orders were filled through phones, faxes and overnight parcel carriers. Nowadays this structure produces almost $1 billion sales per month” (Des Laffey 2009, p14-18). In terms of value chain notion the company has had extraordinary benefits with the help of E-commerce. Let us examine company’s e-commence approach in terms of Value Chain conception.

Examining the Value Chain on Intel business both the support activities and the principal actions are conceded out with the help of E-commerce. According to Intel’s technology journal it shows that “Intel’s E-commerce environment is flattering progressively more multifaceted. (Waters 2005, p15)

This development is exponential is the pace of new application being set up and stirring application being upgraded” (Des Laffey 2009, p14-18). E-commerce is a very vital and helpful business approach in today’s world where workstation and internet are indispensable needs of existence. Intel’s main achievement or market control apart from the reality that it is the biggest microprocessor in the world is also due to the completion of E-commerce solutions. (Vaughan and Zhang 2007, p1c)

Strategic Environment of Intel Corporation

Every corporation around the world has to take strategic judgment to maintain in the industry as a business body in the long run. The company is also implementing the common strategic introduced by Porter in creating and supporting a superior performance in the industry. (Tanriverdi and Venkatraman 2005, p97-119)

The company is using the Generic approaches to achieve competitive advantage over its opponents and in becoming the industry leader. (Steeve and Joanne 2009, p8-12)

Cost Leadership

The company is cutting expenditure in its supply chain. Building the correct manufactured goods in the right quantity is an exhausting task. What’s distorted is the company’s capability to handle this intricacy. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14)

The company has re-engineered its supply chain from back-to-back- and when it comes to cutback cost on its supply chain, the company’s numbers are uniformly inspiring. In 2004, Intel saved $1 billion of its costs by re-engineering its internal processes. It accumulates another $1 billion in 2005, and it is aiming $500 million more in 2006. (Des Laffey 2009, p14-18)

Focus

According to Porter “the focus approach has two deviations. In the cost focus an organisation seeks a cost benefit in its objective section, while in differentiation focus an organisation seeks differentiation in its target segment” (Des Laffey 2009, p14-18). The company seems to employ the differentiation focus variants of the focus approach. The company is still also paying attention on its core product the microprocessors.

Without hesitation the company is implementing the Generic approach in its market, by cutting the cost in its supply chain to acquire cost control, by diversifying into diverse products for example health care, customer electronics etc… and however focusing on its principal production of microprocessors. In terms of strategic management these are the strategies Intel should take to generate and maintain better performance in the industry in addition to in the market. (Des Laffey 2009, p14-18)

Intel’s Five Rival Forces Strategy

There is little opportunity that a new competitor would enter the microprocessors industry and pretence an intimidation to Intel Corporation. A new competitor would require to develop an appropriate microprocessor product, requiring considerable resources expenditures and many years of engineering effort, the expansion of high performance microprocessor equivalent to Intel would possible need no less than fours year” (Dodge and Kitchin 2007, p431-45)

There are no substitutes for microprocessor but customers have a choice of diverse brands processors. The company has its own suppliers which provide raw materials and the company produces the processors and other devices. In business the major strategy is to convince the buyer and Intel has up to now done a lot to convince its buyers get providing pioneering processors and other devices and however Intel’s competitors are doing the same. (Page 2007, p28-30)

The five competitor forces are present for every corporation but the altitude of impact it has varies from corporation to corporation. The intensity of impact it has on company is quite low comparing to parallel corporations in the same industry. (Robert 2009, p134-43)

SWOT analysis

Every corporation has internal and external surrounding factors; these factors do affects the performance of a corporation. (Robert 2009, p134-43) Firms have to obtain major strategic decisions to trounce such aspects. To examine the internal environmental aspects affecting company’s we us SWOT analysis.

Strengths

• Intel’s famous Brand name
• Introduction of innovative products
• Strong Advertising campaigns

Weaknesses

• Intel’s world ranking of most powerful brand has dropped 10 places in 2007
• Decline of Share price.

Opportunity

• Diversifying into Different products

Threats

• Strong competitors such as AMD, IBM.

Intel’s well-known Brand name is its core force, and there are several other strengths that it has which is technique Intel lead the global industry of microprocessors. “Intel’s world ranking plunged in first quarter of 2007 by 10 places primarily due to strong rivalry by Intel’s archrival AMD”. Intel’s has assorted opportunities, for instance the diversification into different products. (Robert 2009, p134-43)

Corporation has strong threats from its opponent AMD, in order to reduce the intimidation Intel constantly has to be one step ahead of its opponent, and to do so this requires most important premeditated decisions to be made and managed. (Des Laffey 2009, p14-18)

PEST analysis

To investigate the External environmental aspects affecting Intel Corporation we us PEST analysis

Political

• Lawsuits by the competitors
• Antitrust law in America

Economical

• Intel sold its XScale processors business to Marvell Technologies

Social

• Intel’s sponsorship of the science talent search.

Technological

• R&D for better performance microprocessors

Intel Corporation was criticised by its rivals consequently; it had to face political dilemmas over a period of time. The company sold its XScale processors, on June 2006 the company agreed to put up for sale its communications and application processor units to Marvell Technology, a storage, communications and chip manufacturer, for $600 million” (Dorothea 2009, p171-83).

The shift was a strategic judgment intended to allow Intel to spotlight its recourses on its core processors and server market. The company also participates in social ascription of the society in 1998 Intel became the representative support of the Science Talent Search held every year in United States. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14)

This is to glance for new talents for the prospect of the corporation. Intel maintain to research and develop inventive products, R&D is decidedly essential for Intel to endure in today’s competitive industry, and foremost strategic judgment are concerned on how, when and what to innovate. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14)

Globalisation drivers in competitive industry

Company has entered into various tactical alliances in latest years. In January 2007, Sun Microsystems and Intel formed a tactical coalition cantered on the Intel-authorised Solaris operating system. Sun faithful to bring a complete product of venture and telecommunications servers, and workstations, supported on Intel Xeon processors. (Robert 2009, p134-43)

The range of this accord spans Solaris, Java and NetBeans software, and Intel Xeon microprocessors, in addition to added Intel and Sun enterprise-group products. STMicroelectronics, Intel and Francisco Partners signed an ultimate accord in May 2007 to generate an innovative self-sufficient semiconductor corporation from the important assets of their trade, which in 2006 produced roughly $3.6 billion in collective annual profits. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14)

Intel and Asustek Computer, the world’s leading manufacturer of PC motherboards, announced strategy in June 2007 to build a notebook computer that would cost as little as $200. In December 2007, Intel collaborated with Comstar to build up mobile WiMAX in Russia. (Lewandowski and Höchstötter 2008, p309-40)

In May 2008, as well as its tactical venture in Clearwire, the new wireless corporation created through the blend of wireless broadband trade of Sprint Nextel and Clearwire Corp, the corporation also penetrated into a tactical accord with the corporation. According to the accord, Intel would employ with manufacturers to implant WiMAX chips into Intel Centrino 2 processor technology-based laptops and other Intel-based mobile internet products. These affiliations and agreements with other market competitors in linked industries facilitate the corporation to develop its products’ competence, and also develop its visibility and convenience. (Hopfer and MacEachren 2007, p921-34)

Organisational structure capabilities for implementing recommended strategy

The international semiconductors industry has shown encouraging and healthy escalation rates in current years, and this performance is set to persist. The international semiconductors industry made overall revenues of $243.3 billion in 2007, in lieu of a CAGR of 7.9% for the five-year phase spanning 2003-2007. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14) The European and Asia Pacific industries grew with relevant CAGRs of 9.6% and 11.2% throughout the similar era, to attain values of $39.3 billion and $147.2 billion, correspondingly, in 2007. (Mark and Timber 2009, p240-48)

The industry is estimate to develop at a CAGR of 9% for the five-year phase 2006-2011, which is predictable to constrain the industry to a worth of $370.5 billion by the end of 2012. The European and Asia Pacific industries will develop with relevant CAGRs of 5.6% and 10.9%, to attain respective values of $51.7 billion and $239.5 billion in 2011. (Edward 2009, p352-60)

Making approximately 50% of its profits from Asia Pacific, Intel is well-positioned to faucet the predicted double digit increase rates in the area. As the number one company in the semiconductor market, the corporation is well placed to take advantage of this prospect. (Global Reach 2004, p1)

Expanding PC market

The international computer industry, including both laptop and desktop machines, is quickly growing. The industry’s volume is predictable to increase to 260.8 million units by the end of 2011, instead of a CAGR of 7.2% for the phase 2006-2011. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14) The performance of the industry is estimate to step up, with a predictable CAGR of 6.1% for the 2006-2011 phases, which is anticipated to constrain the industry to an assessment of $220.1 billion by the end of 2011. (Dorothea 2009, p171-83) The European and Asia Pacific industries are projected to grow up at a CAGR of 6.1% and 5.4%, correspondingly, over the similar stage, to reach relevant values of $83.5 billion and $53.5 billion in 2011. This increasing PC industry offers a prospect for Intel to expand its returns base.

Future strategies

The firm produced its Intel Atom processor in March 2008. Intel Atom is the latest product of low-power processors intended particularly for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and a group of simple internet-centric computers. Atom is completely depending on an innovative microarchitecture produced to suit diminutive and mobile devices, where the foremost focal point is on low power spending. (Nicolas 2009, p819-25)

The innovative processor is the Intel’s smallest processor, produced with the world’s smallest transistors. Additionally, company launched the Intel Centrino Atom processor in April 2008. These innovative processors facilitate the corporation to enter the mobile internet devices industry. Though, the firm’s Atom processor, with a power utilisation range of 0.6-2.5 watts, requires additional optimisation to shelter an important existence in the industry. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14)

By difference, ARM, a key player in the MID and embedded chipset industry, provides a superior optimised system, and chips in the power utilisation vary of 300mW for MID applications. Sustained optimisation of the Atom processor’s competence would facilitate the corporation to protect its viable advantage and place in the innovative markets. (Murphy 2005, p19)

Conclusion

Intel faces solid rivalry across a variety of semiconductor product markets in which it functions. Semiconductor manufactures struggle on the foundation of factors for example price, quality, product features, equipment and improvement, and extra features, for example energy competence. (O’Leary, Sally and Perry 2004, p338-54) Intel’s desktop processors participate with products accessible by AMD, IBM and VIA. Intel’s architecture business competes with AMD.

Its server processors battle with those of AMD, IBM, and Sun Microsystems, based on competitor architectures. The company’s innovative MID device micro architecture rivals with that of the ARM structural design. (Sandeep and Arvind 2009, p404-14) The company’s chipsets rival in a variety of market segments with ATI Technologies, Broadcom, NVIDIA and Silicon Integrated Systems Corporation (SIS). Intel also faces rivalry from firms offering competitor microprocessor structures, for example IBM, which supplies microprocessors to Apple. IBM is as well equally developing a competitor structural design with Sony and Toshiba. Strong rivalry in all its industry segments might corrode Intel’s industry share and shrink its profitability.