RST GmbH

: strategic positioning in a niche market for a German SME

Abstract

The Case Study focuses on the positioning of RST GmbH, a German surface technology company, in a changing market environment. RST GmbH faced significant challenges in 2012 which created a need for a change in strategy. Firstly, a high dependency on three major customers with a revenue share of up to 55%. Secondly, RST was dealing with the most significant complaint in its history and thirdly, with the fluctuations in the German economy. These circumstances were reasons for the management to realign RST and question how should the company operate in the future. The key objectives of this Case Study are to recognize the importance of realignment in a company’s lifecycle, to understand the positioning within competitive markets, to evaluate the role of customer concentration and to analyze diverse strategies to sustain growth. This Dissertation includes a Literature Review on topics related to the issues raised by the Case Study. It also offers an analysis of key issues of the Case in the Teaching Notes section to help instructors to prepare for the in-class discussion.

Date of Award	22 Jan 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Nuno Magalhães Guedes (Supervisor)