Nucor and Kodak Case Studies

The steel industry, however, is a mature industry with limited opportunity for success, and a great potential for failure. Nucor can move out of the steel industry into other fabricating materials, but to do so, it must refashion the company and bring about change to the corporate culture. The company has the requisite characteristics for long-term success through this change process, but it must be willing to take the risks associated with this change to succeed.

Nucor's core business is in the mini-mill industry, a niche which Nucor itself helped to form and in which it is a dominant participant. Nucor strives to provide high quality products at competitive prices, and prides itself on maintaining a close relationship with its workers that has resulted in the company successfully resisting unionization efforts in an industry that is highly unionized. Although the company has had a troubled history, with several reorganizations and a severe departure from its original beginnings as an automobile manufacturer (its name even derives from the Nuclear Corporation of America, alt

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ection. However, this would not be in keeping with the company's history, nor would it be in the company's best interest. Mini-mills are a relatively new phenomenon, and they are likely to be supplanted by other technology in the future. If Nucor does not continue to invest in research and development both for new products and new ways of producing those products, the company will be unable to compete in the long-term. Nucor could also continue its expansion outside the steel industry; the company experimented with chemical production at one time, for example, although that division has since been sold. Diversification into another industry would help Nucor better survive the vagaries of the steel market, but it would also take away capital and other resources from the company's core business. Entering into an industry that is removed from the company's primary strength will require a substantial investment in time and materials, with a questionable payback. If this route is pursued, it should be done with the intention of seeking a joint venture with a company already familiar with the industry in question. Nucor could also continue its history of innovation and take a long-range approach to its business. Instead of defi
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Approximate Word count = 4047
Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page)