Sbe Discussion

Calvin L. Richardson

SBE 330

March 21, 2012

Case Study

1.) Explain what happened to the Gore-Tex brand after the patent expired. After the patent expired in 1996, the Gore-Tex brand became mainstream with more generic versions of the breathable fabric.

What activity can firms use to try to maintain any advantage developed during the patent protection phase? A firm should create a similar product and try get a patent for their version of the product.

2.) List some of the wide range of products where the Gore-Tex fabric has been applied.

Some of the wide range of products where the Gore-Tex that has been applied are breathable fabric for coats; advanced the science of regenerating tissues destroyed by disease or traumatic injuries; developed next-generation materials for printed circuit boards and fibre optics; and pioneered new methods to detect and control environmental pollution.

3.) It seems that Gore Associates is heavily oriented towards technology; what are some of the dangers of being too heavily focused on technology? Some of the dangers of being too heavily focused on technology are, losing employees to competitors, creating products that can cost your organization to lose money if it is not selling, and the product being created could be too complicated for the targeted audience.

4.) Cooperatives and share-ownership schemes provide many attractions and benefits, but there are also limitations; discuss these. The limitations cooperatives and share-ownership shemes are that, any decrease in performance and fall in value of the shares can cause enormous resentment within the firm as they see the value of their savings decrease

5.) What has been the Gore strategy to achieving success in its markets? The Gore strategy to achieving success in its markets has been its diversity of the product and allowing employees to have opportunities to invest. Also, being creative in branding the company's image.

How is this strategy now being challenged? This strategy is being challenged because there is no single company which competes with Gore in every product area.