Diversification is a corporate strategy to enter into a new market or
industry which the business is not currently in, whilst also creating a new
product for that new market. This is most risky section of the An off Matrix,
as the business has no experience in the new market and does not know if
the product is going to be successful.
Diversification is one of the four main growth strategies defined by Igor
Ansoff's Product/Market matrix:[1]
An off pointed out that a diversification strategy stands apart from the other
three strategies. Whereas, the first three strategies are usually pursued with
the same technical, financial, and merchandising resources used for the
original product line, the diversification usually requires a company to
acquire new skills and knowledge in product development as well as new
insights into market behavior simultaneously. This not only requires the
acquisition of new skills and knowledge, but also requires the company to
acquire new resources including new technologies and new facilities, which
exposes the organization to higher levels of risk.
There are three types of diversification: concentric, horizontal, and
conglomerate.
Concentric diversification [edit]
This means that there is a technological similarity between the industries,
which means that the firm is able to leverage its technical know-how to gain
some advantage. For example, a company that manufactures industrial
adhesives might decide to diversify into adhesives to be sold via retailers.
The technology would be the same but the marketing effort would need to
change.
It also seems to increase its market share to launch a new product that helps
the particular company to earn profit. For instance, the addition of tomato
ketchup and sauce to the existing "Maggi" brand processed items of Food
Specialities Ltd. is an example of technological-related concentric
diversification.
The company could seek new products that have technological or marketing
synergies with existing product lines appealing to a new group of customers.
This also helps the company to tap that part of the market which remains
untapped, and which presents an opportunity to earn profits.
Horizontal diversification [edit]
The company adds new products or services that are often technologically or
commercially unrelated to current products but that may appeal to current
customers. This strategy tends to increase the firm's dependence on certain
market segments. For example, a company that was making notebooks
earlier may also enter the pen market with its new product.
Conglomerate Diversification
Conglomerate diversification is growth strategy that involves adding new
products or services that are significantly different from the organization's
present products or services. Conglomerat diversification occurs when the
firm diversifies into an area(s) totally unrelated to the organization current
business.