Wearables: Can the Dyson Zone Break Into a New Market?

The case is about the future of Dyson’s foray into wearable technology with the planned introduction of the Dyson Zone that enables people to breathe purified air while tuning out unwanted noise. Since no other device like it yet exists on the wearables market, its inventor Jake Dyson is stepping into unknown waters - another risk for a company that has taken several, including James Dyson’s failed attempt to diversify into the automobile market with the introduction of an electric vehicle in 2017. Will the Dyson Zone be different? The case does not pretend to answer this question but rather looks at the business strategy of a firm that has a reputation for developing innovative products.

The case offers an example of a well-known firm launching an innovative product. It opens the floor to a discussion of Dyson’s unique value-chain activities that drive its competitive advantage. It is clear proof that firms need a set of valuable, rare, inimitable and organizational (VRIO) resources to power product development. While written primarily as a strategy case, it can be used in marketing courses as well.