HomeResearch & Knowledgeback to HomeStrategyback to Research & KnowledgeNvidia: Winning the deep-learning leadership battleback to Strategy

Case Study

Nvidia: Winning the deep-learning leadership battle

By Michael D. Watkins, Lisa Simone Duke, Sonia Tan, Christopher Read and Rathan Kinhal

19 pages

May 2019

Order this case study

Reference: IMD-7-2036

The case charts the evolution of NVIDIA, the market leading producer of graphics processing units (GPU), from its beginnings to becoming a leader at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) development. Founded in 1993, the company designed processors for gaming, professional visualization, data centers and automotive markets. In 2019, NVIDIA’s vision was to be at the forefront of the virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence and deep learning arenas. Though the company had an impressive growth rate, there were increasing competitive threats against NVIDIA’s dominance in deep learning. The case ends by asking whether NVIDIA can retain its leading position and what it has to do to sustain it.

Learning Objective

How companies can identify and exploit opportunities in adjacent product fields. Is good planning the most important? How much of a company’s strategy evolution is planned, and how much is emergent?
The challenges of becoming a leader in a new technology and then sustaining that leadership position in the face of accelerating technological development.

Keywords

Strategy, Innovation, Market Dynamics, Deep Learning, eLearning, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Graphics Processing Unit Computing, Video Game, Self-driving Car, Cloud Computing, Graphic Card

Settings

World/global, United States of America
Nvidia, Information Technology, Computer Services, Materials, Semiconductors, Automotive
1993-2018

Type

Published Sources

Available Languages

English

Related material

Teaching note, Video

IMD case studies are distributed through case clearing houses. In order to browse the collection and purchase copies please visit the links below.

The Case Centre

Cranfield University

Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]

Harvard Business School Publishing

60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]

Asia Pacific Case Center

NUCB Business School

1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Best-selling Case Study

Keep reading

Case Study

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030

Strategy General Management Global Business

By Niccolò Pisani, Elham Pazirandeh-Micol, Karine Richard, Liudmila Ost and Quentin de Rham

Article

Is AI at your service?

Building your own AI models in-house requires deep pockets, access to vast swathes of data, and the right talent. For many organizations, it's much more practical to use a third-party solution. Annabelle Gawer explains the potential and the pitfal...

Artificial Intelligence

By Annabelle Gawer

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

19 February 2025

Article

Large Behavior Models - AI-Conditioned Robots

Large behavior models (LBMs) promise to be even more impactful than large language models, says IMD’s Tomoko Yokoi.

Artificial Intelligence

By Tomoko Yokoi

in I by IMD

19 February 2025

Article

Sustainable Future - Working with AI

As AI continues to reshape industries, businesses must navigate the balance between automation and human contribution. How can AI can drive sustainability while empowering both employers and employees through data collaboration, energy optimizatio...

Artificial Intelligence Sustainability

By José Parra Moyano

in I by IMD

18 February 2025

Article

Research: How AI helped executives improve communication

A great way for executives to hone their communication skills is by having a coach listen in on their conversations and provide feedback. But given the increasing capability of AI-based tools to have meaningful conversations with people, research...

Artificial Intelligence Communication Coaching Digital

By Katharina Lange and José Parra Moyano

in HBR.org

14 February 2025

Article

Do you know your CPU from your GPU? Test your knowledge of AI terminology

Buzzwords and acronyms abound in the world of AI and seem to be multiplying faster than new model releases. Here are three questions to test your ability to talk tech (and a glossary below if you get stuck).

Artificial Intelligence

By Michael R. Wade, Amit M. Joshi and José Parra Moyano

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

12 February 2025

Article

How can I leverage AI for smarter sustainability?

AI can enhance sustainability reporting and help you deepen green efforts – but it also has an environmental impact of its own. Julia Binder and José Parra Moyano identify the four ‘hows’ of harnessing AI for enhanced sustainability reporting and ...

Sustainability Artificial Intelligence

By Julia Katharina Binder and Michael R. Wade

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

10 February 2025

Article

Sovereign AI gets push it needs as control slips away from Silicon Valley

Chinese start-up DeepSeek sent shock waves through global markets in January, with its latest artificial intelligence breakthrough causing a nearly $600 billion rout in Nvidia’s market value. The company has since recouped some of those market los...

Artificial Intelligence Technology Management Innovation

By Michael R. Wade

in The National

9 February 2025

Article

How to resolve the five trade-offs of AI

The democratization of AI can bring great productivity and efficiency gains, but it also poses significant risks. Michael R. Wade, Sarah E. Toms, Amit M. Joshi, and Michael D. Watkins identify five key strategic tensions that you need to resolve t...

Artificial Intelligence

By Michael R. Wade, Sarah E. Toms, Amit M. Joshi and Michael D. Watkins

in I by IMD Brain Circuits

6 February 2025

Article

The laws of GenAI: Take a structured approach, collaborate, and get help

Two senior lawyers give their verdict on the American Arbitration Association's efforts to harness the power of generative AI. They explain why incumbent organizations must seize the opportunities without delay.

Artificial Intelligence Innovation Technology Management Leadership

By Bridget McCormack and Jen Leonard

in I by IMD

6 February 2025

Nestlé Health Science: Building a healthy future towards 2030

By Niccolò Pisani Elham Pazirandeh-Micol Karine Richard Liudmila Ost and Quentin de Rham
Case reference: IMD-7-2636 ©2025

Summary

The board of Nestlé S.A. announced that Anna Mohl would become the CEO of Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) — a global leader in nutritional science — on 1 January 2024. She was delighted to hear about her new position but knew there was little time to celebrate. The pressure was on her to make timely strategic decisions to navigate some operating challenges while future-proofing the business for years to come. As Anna sat at her desk and looked out the large window, she began reflecting on how NHSc had grown under her predecessor, Greg Behar, who was instrumental in expanding it into new markets and establishing it as a well-known player in nutritional health solutions. Anna’s dilemmas boiled down to four main questions: Should the company choose organic or inorganic growth? What about market expansion and exploring potential outside North America? How to ensure continued product innovation via research and development (R&D) and potential acquisitions? Finally, how best to align sustainability goals with financial performance? And, of course, expectations were high and a lot was at stake. Anna was aware that the journey ahead would not be easy, but she was ready to tackle the challenges head-on, steering the company towards long-term success.

Reference IMD-7-2636

Organization Nestlé Health Science

Industry Healthcare, Health and Medical Services;Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals

Available Languages English

Contact

Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications

Related topics

Strategy

General Management

Global Business

Browse all topics