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Case Study

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (A): Radical innovation for the DRAM business

By Georges Haour and Hee-Jae Cho

15 pages

April 2000

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Reference: IMD-3-0841

Samsung Electronics became the world’s largest memory chip manufacturer within 10 years. The case (A) is the first in a two-part case series focused on “why” and “how” it started the DRAM and memory chip businesses in 1983. This case covers the events from 1982 and 1983 and explains why Byung-Chull Lee, late-chairman of the Samsung Group, South Korea, decided to launch the memory business, in particular, DRAM business. This case is written from Samsung’s point of view and raises issues regarding Samsung’s entering the DRAM chip market.

Keywords

Radical Innovation, Feasibility Study, Dynamic Random-access Memory

Settings

1982-1983

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

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This case study is part of a series

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (A): Radical innovation for the DRAM business
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (B): World's pacesetter in the DRAM business
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in the 1990s: Sustaining competitiveness
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Managing knowledge and quality

This case study is part of a series

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (A): Radical innovation for the DRAM business
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (B): World's pacesetter in the DRAM business
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in the 1990s: Sustaining competitiveness
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Managing knowledge and quality

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Case reference: IMD-2663 ©2025

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Reference IMD-2663

Organization Medacta Group

Industry Healthcare, Medical Device

Available Languages English

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