Terumo (A)

To maximize their effectiveness, color cases should be printed in color. Terumo faces two challenges: how to sell its catheter products in the U.S. and its new "Solution Pack" in its domestic market, Japan. The case provides rich detail on the firm's evolution from a manufacturer of thermometers to a seller of commodity products like syringes to a diversified firm offering a range of advanced products-catheters and graphs, for example-in addition to commodity products. It describes how the firm's sales strategy-including changes in structure and compensation-changed as its overall product line evolve. The case also offers an interesting contrast for students studying sales forces, in terms of how this Japanese model differs in the way, for example, the firm compensates-and views-salespeople.