Business Case Studies, Leadership Case Study, Tata Group,Ratan Tata

Code : BSM0011

Year : 2004

Industry : Home Appliances and Personal Care Products

Region : UK

Teaching Note:Not Available

Structured Assignment :Not Available

Introduction:When the New York-based inventor,Dean Kamen, invented Segway Human Transporter (Segway HT) and unveiled it in December 2001, it created much hype as a marvellous invention that would revolutionise human transportation. Segway HT was made to help pedestrians move faster with baggage, thereby increasing their travelling efficiency. It was designed to travel at a speed of 12 miles per hour and being electric-powered, required lesser effort than riding a bicycle. Segway was the ‘world’s first self-balancing human transporter’ equipped with gyros, sensors and motors, apart from a computer to control the movement of the rider. Dean Kamen believes that Segway "will be to the car what the car was to the horse and buggy."

In mid-2002, Segway was showcased to corporate clients, and by the end of 2002, it was put up for sale. Although the sales picked up by the end of 2002, Segway HT witnessed problems in 2003. It failed to provide a balance to the riders in certain situations, for instance, when the battery charge was low causing injury to the riders.