share. By the 1960s also, Gillette had become the dominant player in the ball point pen market through the company's Paper Mate subsidiary. Competition from the Bic Pen Company of France soon reduced Paper Mate to the status of an also ran in the ball point pen market. Bic also won the battle against Gillette in the disposable cigarette lighter market in the 1960s.
In the mid 1970s, Bic introduced the disposable razor, and created additional competitive difficulties for Gillette. In 1993, however, Gillette continues to hold a 64 percent share of the wet shaving market in the United States, compared to 15 percent for Schick and 10 percent for Bic (Gillette: Blade runner, 1993, p. 68).
In 1993, Gillette is also consolidating a position as the global leader in fountain pens. This action is being accomplished by the acquisition of Britain's Parker Pen Holdings (Gillette: Blade runner, 1993, p. 68). Gillette continues to trail, however, in the ball point pen market.
Gillette's corporate sales zoomed from approximately $3 billion in 1987 to more than $6 billion in 1993 (Gillette: Blade
runner, 1993, p. 68). Sales are expected to top $7 billion in 1994 (Gillette: Blade runner, 1993, p. 68). The company's net profits increased from approximately $225 million in 1987 to around $575 million in 1993 (Gillette: Blade runner, 1993, p. 68). Profits at Gillette are expected to reach $700 million in 1994 (Gillette: Blade runner, 1993, p. 68).
Operating margins on Gillette's core businesses increased to 34 percent in 1993 from 31 percent in 1990 (Gillette: Blade runner, 1993, p. 68). Continued improvements the company's operating profit levels are projected (Gillette: Blade runner, 1993, p. 68).
The Gillette Company's operation as a global corporation is analyzed within the contexts of (1) competitive strategies and (2) organizational structure. Within the area of competitive strategies, the conceptual bases of analysis are...