King's Flair International: A Bright Future in the Nanofiber Opportunity? (A)

This case series describes the decision of King's Flair International (KFI) on whether to venture into the nanofiber business. KFI grew from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the kitchenware and household products market to a successful pioneer in developing and implementing a "virtual manufacturing system" led by the company founder, Alex Wong, with his adventurous and entrepreneurial personality. KFI's innovative product design and engineering, along with its celebrated virtual manufacturing (VM) system, enabled it to enjoy steady growth over three decades starting in 1989, and it was listed in 2015 on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. As Wong constantly challenged the company’s status quo, he became aware of nanofiber material and its potential. However, he also knew that the nature of the nanofiber business was very different compared to KFI's existing business—a dilemma emerged. In case (A), students will assume the role of the Founder and CEO of KFI and decide whether the company should venture into the nanofiber business. During the process, students will gain insights into how the founder grew KFI by developing and managing its core competencies, and in particular how the virtual manufacturing system played a pivotal role in realizing KFI's core competencies. In case (B), students will take the role of Gigi Wong, Executive Director of the company and the Founder's daughter, to decide how the nanofiber business could be implemented in KFI.