The themes of technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and organizing
Company Background
Osram GmbH was established in 1906 and is a fully-owned subsidiary of SiemensAG. Today, Osram is one ofthe two leading lighting manufacturer worldwide, being active in numerous markets, e. g. general lighting, automotive lighting, ballasts and luminaries. Osram perceives climate protection and sustainability issues as one ofthe major drivers in the lighting industry. Hence, Osram is heavily engaging in the development of energy-efficient products, which in 2008 already generated 66% of its total revenues. Furthermore, Osram’s product portfolio was recently acknowledged with the German Sustainability Award.
To sustain its growth potential, Osram is increasingly seeking market opportunities in emerging markets, especially in Africa. In 2009, 88% of its revenues were generated outside of Germany. The market for off-grid lighting is of peculiar interest, as its size is estimated to amount to €50 billion per annum, which is almost twice as big as Osram’s original lighting market. In order to further expand its revenues in this market, an innovative product-service system was developed in Kenya, which is described below.
