Abstract

The caselet discusses the competitive strategies adopted by Caterpillar Inc., a leading earth moving equipment manufacturer. It takes a look at the expansion of Caterpillar’s product line and analyzes the factors responsible for the company’s successful global operations. It talks about the innovations made by Caterpillar to provide quality products to customers throughout the world and how Caterpillar has achieved a competitive edge by having a strong dealer network. It describes Caterpillar’s deviation from standardization to serve customers efficiently.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• How Caterpillar differentiated itself from its rivals
• Expansion of Caterpillar’s product line
• Global dealer network of Caterpillar.

Keywords

Caterpillar Inc. (Caterpillar), earth moving equipment, construction, supplier, agricultural equipment, natural gas engines, gas turbines, logging machinery, power-generation systems, mining, logistics, electric power generation, tractors, Holt Manufacturing Company, C.L. Best Tractor Co., Caterpillar Tractor Co., Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd., Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd., Six Sigma approach, Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology (ACERT), US Environmental Protection Agency, standardization, dealer network