Strategic analysis for a software publishing start-up

As it matures, the software market is becoming ever more competitive. Plorus Labs Inc., a Vancouver based start-up, has an innovative strategy to reduce high R&D costs and the risks inherent in market uncertainties. However, Plorus faces resource challenges which inevitably force the company to make difficult near-term strategic decisions and tradeoffs. After analyzing the external market for each product in Plorus’ portfolio and its internal resources and competencies, it is recommended that Plorus focus on one product first and then subsequently bring the rest of products to market. In the long term, to sustain its competitive advantage, Plorus needs to acquire its own intellectual property and strengthen its core competencies. The analytical research serves to balance the entrepreneurial intuition of the founders that has driven the business to date. The research provides a clear path forward whilst recognising that analytics cannot compensate for entrepreneurial verve and vice-versa.