Kent Case Analysis
Running head: KENT CHEMICAL CASE ANALYSIS
Kent Chemical Case Analysis
Careea Nordè, Karen Nostrant, Heather Smith, Mary Stephens, & William Tiemann
Siena Heights University
LDR 660-OA
April 28, 2013
1
KENT CHEMICAL CASE ANALYSIS
2
Kent Chemical Case Analysis
Kent, founded by the Fisher family in 1917, established its corporate headquarters just outside of Akron, Ohio in a small town called Kent (Bartlett & Winig, 2012). Kent became a leading global specialty-chemical company when it chose to diversify into additives and other specialty chemicals, developing these products within their own research laboratory in 1953
(Bartlett & Winig, 2012). Kent Chemical Products has grown throughout the years from its core domestic business to an international operation struggling to fully integrate globally.
In 1998, CEO Ben Fisher decided global expansion would be Kent’s top priority stating,
“Our goal is to remake Kent from a U.S. company dabbling in international markets to one that develops, manufactures, and sells worldwide” (Barlett & Winig, 2012, p. 3). This goal proved to be more difficult than first anticipated, when after two reorganizations Kent’s Chemical
International president Luis Morales had not yet been able to align the international side of the business with the core domestic side (Bartlett & Winig, 2012). Unable to find a resolution internally and facing threats in the global economic environment, Kent’s three senior executives contacted an international consulting firm, known as Sterling Partners for help.
Primary Issues and Opportunities
Kent Chemical has seen many changes within the nearly 100 years of business. Over the years, Kent Chemical has entered new markets, “gone global,” and become a leading specialtychemical company (Bartlett & Winig, 2012). With the many different markets that Kent
Chemical is involved in comes issues that have been challenging to correct. One of the issues that Kent Chemical has had to deal with over the more recent
Kent Chemical Case Analysis
Careea Nordè, Karen Nostrant, Heather Smith, Mary Stephens, & William Tiemann
Siena Heights University
LDR 660-OA
April 28, 2013
1
KENT CHEMICAL CASE ANALYSIS
2
Kent Chemical Case Analysis
Kent, founded by the Fisher family in 1917, established its corporate headquarters just outside of Akron, Ohio in a small town called Kent (Bartlett & Winig, 2012). Kent became a leading global specialty-chemical company when it chose to diversify into additives and other specialty chemicals, developing these products within their own research laboratory in 1953
(Bartlett & Winig, 2012). Kent Chemical Products has grown throughout the years from its core domestic business to an international operation struggling to fully integrate globally.
In 1998, CEO Ben Fisher decided global expansion would be Kent’s top priority stating,
“Our goal is to remake Kent from a U.S. company dabbling in international markets to one that develops, manufactures, and sells worldwide” (Barlett & Winig, 2012, p. 3). This goal proved to be more difficult than first anticipated, when after two reorganizations Kent’s Chemical
International president Luis Morales had not yet been able to align the international side of the business with the core domestic side (Bartlett & Winig, 2012). Unable to find a resolution internally and facing threats in the global economic environment, Kent’s three senior executives contacted an international consulting firm, known as Sterling Partners for help.
Primary Issues and Opportunities
Kent Chemical has seen many changes within the nearly 100 years of business. Over the years, Kent Chemical has entered new markets, “gone global,” and become a leading specialtychemical company (Bartlett & Winig, 2012). With the many different markets that Kent
Chemical is involved in comes issues that have been challenging to correct. One of the issues that Kent Chemical has had to deal with over the more recent
References: Bartlett, C.A., & Winig, L. (2012). Kent chemical: organizing for international growth. De Kluyver, C. (2010). The globalization of companies and industries. In Fundamentals of global strategy: A business model approach (pp Porter, M. E., (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Retrieved from Harvard University, Harvard Business School Publishing for Educators website: Retrieved from SWOT analysis II: Looking inside for strengths and weaknesses. (2006). Retrieved from Harvard University, Harvard Business Publishing for Educators website: https://cb.hbsp.harvard.e