Competitive Advantage Case Study

De Beers: End of Monopoly?

OR

Abstract:
De Beers for long had enjoyed a monopoly in the diamond industry. It was to the extent that Diamonds and De Beers had become synonymous with each other. But events in the early half of 2000s the monopoly was displaying signs of cracking up. There were new sources coming up, it was difficult to control the supplies, the industry was getting integrated vertically, new men like Lev Leviev were taking De Beers on their own turf and worse the African nations for the producers of diamonds were playing hardball with De Beers. The case examines how De Beers built up the monopoly, the challenges it was facing in 2004 and whether it could overcome those challenges. It also examines whether these emerging cracks indicated decrease in prices of diamonds

Pedagogical Objectives:

• Can discuss the Monopoly in the diamond industry
Can take a look at the Marketing strategies of De Beers
• Take a look at how politics and industry interact with each other
• Role of Governments in fostering cartels
• Can examine the economics of the industry

Keywords : Diamond Industry; De Beers in Soviet Union; De Beers in US; Diamonds Forever; Monopoly and Competition; Central Selling Organization (CSO); Lev Veviev; Core Competency & Competitive Advantage Case Study; Investment Diamonds; Blood Diamonds; Artificial/Synthetic Diamonds; Diamond Cartels; Integration in Diamond Industry; Diamond Retailing