The top managers of a large computer peripherals manufacturer were struggling to develop a product and market strategy to cope with the anticipated convergence of copiers and printers. The breadth of the converged market and the company’s lack of experience in certain segments of the current market indicated that the company might need to fundamentally change the way it did business. These changes would be driven by the evolution of document usage in the workplace, which was highly uncertain. The company needed to clarify which new capabilities would add the most value, and how they should be adopted.

SDG examined three radically different alternatives to address the convergence, including one that required a complete departure from the existing business model. The project delivered insights into new technology adoption, key channel relationships, and the critical importance of entering technology/business partnerships with sufficient lead time.

Based on a review of the risk/return profile of each strategy, the company implemented the recommended action plan. This work also provided the basis for future updates and refinements.