Samsung should be wary of Intel-like complacency

As technology continues to advance, market dominance can be fleeting. Just ask Intel, whose complacency in the face of a rapidly changing technological landscape almost saw them lose their once-dominant position in the world of microchips. Samsung, another tech giant, should take note of the dire warning this story details and strive to stay at the top of their game.

1. The Rise of Intel: A Cautionary Tale for Samsung

The supremacy of Intel in the PC world has been almost unchallenged for years – their gargantuan presence in the processors market has been a testament to their infallible engineering and persistent innovation. But their recent slip-ups have laid bare the fragile foundation of their tech empire. Their missteps serve as a cautionary tale for Samsung and other tech companies; be wise and remain humble for your success can unravel swiftly.

Intel’s journey from the height of their dominance to the current tumult began in 2018. Intel was the clear victor in x86 processors, with the Core i7 and i9 series ruling the roost. It seemed their hegemony in this domain would continue indefinitely. But a premature rush to release chipsets plagued with Blue-Screen-of-Death bugs brought their fall from grace. Intensive difficulties in manufacturing and delays in the production of their 7nm-based chipsets only further weakened their position.

• Mismanagement of financial resources
• Shortcomings in their proprietary System-on-Chip designs
• Inability to transfer its enterprising spirit to the mobile-phone processing world

Intel’s miscalculations were so egregious that they lost between 15 and 20 percent of the market share in its own domain. Plagued by the effects of:

Intel could not withstand the competition from the likes of AMD and Nvidia. Their sheer size and formidable history seemed destined to carry them through, but their colossal mistakes were undeniable. Samsung must take heed of Intel’s cautionary tale; a company is only as strong as its weakest link, and if one expands too quickly, their missteps can bring them to their knees.

2. Is Samsung on Track to Repeat Intel’s Mistakes?

Samsung has experienced rapid growth in the chip-making industry since the early 2000s, overtaking Intel as the world leader in 2018. However, Intel’s past missteps cast a long shadow and raises the question:

One of the biggest mistakes that Intel has made in the past was investing heavily in building up an isolated ecosystem that excluded other chip makers. This caused Intel’s competitors to have little to no chance of success in the market and eventually led to inefficiencies that slowed down and stagnated Intel’s innovation. To ensure that it does not make the same error, Samsung has committed to investing not just in its own proprietary chips, but also in creating an open ecosystem that is inclusive of other chip makers.

• Samsung has overtaken Intel in the chip-making industry.
• Intel had invested heavily in building a closed ecosystem, leading to inefficiencies.
• Samsung has made a commitment to invest in an open ecosystem that is inclusive of other chip makers.

3. Combating the Dangers of Complacency

When faced with a working routine that has a low risk of failure, we are faced with the challenge of complacency. It can be easy to become comfortable with what we are doing and forget to evaluate ourselves to push our skills to the next level. But the longer we wait, the harder it will be to break out of the cycle of complacency. We must be proactive in our effort to combat it.

There are several practical steps to help break out of the cycle of complacency:

• Seek out ways to challenge yourself. Take a class, meet with a mentor, read a book on a subject you’ve always wanted to learn, or try something you’ve never done before.
• Set goals and measure progress. Measure your successes and failures. Setting goals will help to keep you focused and motivated.
• Evaluate your work. Regularly assess your successes and failures and make tweaks where necessary. Ask others for honest feedback.
• Take risks. Take an opportunity once in a while to challenge yourself. You don’t need to take huge risks, but make sure you take on challenges that will help you grow.

Through these proactive steps, we can combat the dangers of complacency and work to make ourselves truly successful.

4. Staying Ahead of the Competition: Samsung’s Best Bet

Reaching the C-Suite
For Samsung to remain ahead, it must create innovative strategies and solutions that target a rising consumer base. Knowing the C-Suites and their leaders’ preferences is the key to making this happen. The focus should be on personalizing experiences tailored to the needs of top-level boardrooms and workplaces. Seamless and effective integration of digital innovations that bridge the gap between the consumer and the CEO will be central to delivering the solutions and services that maintain Samsung’s place as a trendsetter.

Digging into Data
Data can be an effective resource for staying ahead of the competition. From consumer feedback to insights on industry trends, data can clue Samsung into when to invest in projects, when and where to target marketing efforts, and how to differentiate its products as well as provide valuable services to customers and business partners. To leverage data to its full potential, Samsung has to implement predictive analytics and artificial-intelligence initiatives without fail. Keeping up with technology trends, such as augmented reality or the Internet of Things, is paramount for staying ahead in the tech world.

• Reaching the C-Suite
• Digging into Data

As Intel’s slow-moving behemoth continues to suffer the ramifications of a long-term malaise, it’s a situation that Samsung should learn from. Unless Samsung’s willingness to keep up with the fast-paced competition, take calculated risks and think ahead drives their success, history may just repeat itself.