Publications
Publications
- October 2005 (Revised August 2006)
- HBS Case Collection
Haier: Taking a Chinese Company Global
By: Krishna G. Palepu, Tarun Khanna and Ingrid Vargas
Abstract
In 2005, Haier, China's leading appliance manufacturer, had over $12 billion in worldwide sales and was the third-ranked global appliance brand behind Whirlpool and GE. Describes Haier's rise from a defunct refrigerator factory in China's Qingdao province to an international player with nearly $4 billion in overseas sales. Haier had followed a nontraditional expansion strategy of entering the developed markets of Europe and the United States as a niche player before venturing into neighboring Asian markets. Facing intense competition and price wars in the domestic market, in 2005 Haier was redoubling its efforts to build a globally recognized brand. Could Haier complete with the likes of Whirlpool and GE in their home market? Could Haier successfully defend against Chinese and multinational challengers in China while building a brand overseas?
Keywords
Citation
Palepu, Krishna G., Tarun Khanna, and Ingrid Vargas. "Haier: Taking a Chinese Company Global." Harvard Business School Case 706-401, October 2005. (Revised August 2006.)