Sony Strategy

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PS one and PlayStation 2 hardware and software in 104 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania.

By the 30 September 2005, over 40 million PlayStation and PS one units had been shipped across these PAL territories and over 102 million worldwide. Between its European debut on 24 November 2000 and 29 November 2005, over 37 million PlayStation 2 units had been shipped across the PAL territories, over 102 million world-wide, making it one of the most successful computer entertainment products in history.

Between the launch of the PSP in Japan in December 2005 and 21 October 2005, over 10 million PSPs had been shipped worldwide.

With over 1100 employees in 11 countries and sales operations in another 91 countries, SCEE is capable of exploiting the opportunities that arise in its existing territories and its emerging markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

SCEE also has staff based in the Development Studios in London, Liverpool and Cambridge, and at the Quality Evaluation Department in Liverpool.

Sony's roots were planted in a bombed out Department Store in Tokyo in 1946. Masaru Ibuka, an Engineer, and Akio Morita, a Physicist, invested the equivalent of Ј845.00 to start a company with 20 employees repairing electrical equipment and attempting to build their own products.

The success story really began when Tokyo Tsuchin Kogyo, as the company was named, obtained a license in 1954 to make transistors. The transistor had been invented in America but it had not been applied to radios, which were valve driven appliances. Sony made Japan's first transistor in May 1954 and the first all-transistor radio.

Since then Sony has led the field in invention and innovation - with the first Trinitron Colour Television in 1968, the colour video-cassette in 1971, the Betamax VCR which was the world's first home use video system in 1975, the Walkman in 1979, the 3.5 inch micro floppy disk in 1989, an electronic camera in 1981, the world's first CD Player in 1982, the first consumer camcorder in 1983, 8mm video in 1988, the first digital VTR in 1985 and so on and so on through to 1995 with the launch of PlayStation

In the 45 years since the company first began trading it has grown from 20 employees to over 100 000 people around the world. Akio Morita recognised from the beginning that his company needed to regard the whole world as their marketplace and not to restrict activities to Japan alone.

He also insisted that the Sony name be prominent on all the company's products. The company quickly became an international force. Sony Corporation of America was formed in 1960, Sony UK Limited was founded in 1968. Once products were being sold in a country it made sense to begin to manufacture them locally. A factory was established in San Diego in 1972, followed by the factory in Bridgend to service the UK and Europe in 1974. Akio Morita was determined to maintain the spirit of enterprise and innovation and avoid the company becoming a huge and bureaucratic entity. His philosophy can be described as "global localisation."

Operations were centred in small business groups which act as self-sufficient companies designing and developing products which are "sold" within the larger group. The corporate functions of Research, Strategic Planning as well as the Advertising and Marketing activities bind the diversity of companies together.

Sony has, in recent years, turned its attention to establishing a lead position in the Software market having conquered the Hardware scene. Having revolutionised the way that people listen to or view music and pictures Sony wanted to establish a presence in the production of Software products that play on Sony Hardware.

In January 1988 Sony bought CBS Records Inc. to form Sony Music Entertainment, and in 1989 Sony purchased Columbia Pictures, to form Sony Pictures Entertainment.

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