Possibility of Chairman Lee Jae-yong's Attendance
Samsung Electronics held a 'Competitive Product Comparison Exhibition' comparing the technological levels of major products in the set (finished product) sectors such as TVs, home appliances, and smartphones with competitors for the first time in five years. This is interpreted as a determination to find a breakthrough by enhancing product competitiveness amid uncertain domestic and international environments such as economic recession and demand contraction.
On the 3rd, Samsung Electronics held an opening ceremony for the comparison exhibition at its Suwon plant. This event, held privately for Samsung employees only, will run until the 21st. It is unusual to have such a long exhibition amid quality issues such as last year's washing machine glass door breakage and the Galaxy S22 Game Optimization Service (GOS) incident, and criticism that the technological 'super-gap' with competitors has virtually disappeared.
The late Lee Kun-hee, former Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and Lee Jae-yong, then President and now Chairman of Samsung Electronics (far left), attending the Advanced Product Comparison Exhibition (Competitive Product Comparison Exhibition) held in 2011. [Photo by Asia Economy DB]
The event is conducted by comparing the strengths and weaknesses of each product by placing Samsung Electronics' main products such as smartphones, communication equipment, TVs, home appliances like washing machines, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, laptops, and competitors' product lines side by side. For example, Samsung Electronics' latest smartphones are displayed alongside Apple's iPhone series and Chinese companies' foldable phones. In the home appliance sector, products from competitors such as Whirlpool, Bosch, and Siemens are expected to be exhibited together.
This year, not only the Device Experience (DX) division but also the Customer Experience (CX) and Multi-Device Experience (MDE) centers, key sectors in building the 'Samsung ecosystem,' are participating for the first time.
Presidents of the DX division business units, including Han Jong-hee, Vice Chairman and Head of Samsung Electronics' DX division, will attend the exhibition to grasp the technological competition trends of each company. There is also speculation about Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong's possible visit to the exhibition hall.
Chairman Lee has visited the exhibition hall accompanied by the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee since his time as a Samsung Electronics president. The late Chairman Lee consistently attended events unless unavoidable and instilled a sense of urgency in management by saying, "If you are not confident in making products ahead of competitors, do not even start."
Meanwhile, this exhibition, now in its 15th edition, has been held biennially since 1993 when the late Chairman Lee declared the New Management initiative. The last exhibition was held in 2018. The 2020 exhibition was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making this the first Competitive Product Comparison Exhibition in five years.
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