| BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : DECEMBER 20, 1999 ISSUE | ||||||||
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| INTERNATIONAL -- ASIAN COVER STORY
Anatomy of a Turnaround FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURING Some $10 billion in debt has been wiped out since 1997. Dozens of companies have been sold or spun off. Stakes in money-losing Samsung Motor and computer maker AST have been written off. PROFITS FIRST The old obsession with market share and setting production and export records is giving way to a focus on making money with high-end products based on innovative designs. STREAMLINING Managers now strive to produce goods only after orders are placed and get them to customers within days, eliminating billions in inventory costs and accounts receivable. DIVERSIFICATION Once dependent on commodity memory chips for half of sales and 90% of profits, Samsung Electronics has greatly broadened its base to become a global giant in telecom devices, liquid crystal displays, and digital appliances. Is investing heavily in nonmemory semiconductors. DATA: BUSINESS WEEK _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |
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 RELATED ITEMS Samsung (int'l edition) ASIAN COVER IMAGE: Samsung TABLE: Anatomy of a Turnaround CHART: Business Is Surging CHART: Growth Is Now Better Balanced PHOTO: Samsung Wrist Phone INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online | |||
