From corporate social responsibility to disruptive innovation: Samsung’s green memory initiative

While companies are ceaselessly employing several Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, few can claim real business value from such practices. The case describes CSR practices implemented by Samsung Electronics that not only created value for the company but also resulted in disruptive innovations, which have the potential to change the face of the computer memory industry. Guided by its philosophy of ‘ceaseless innovation’, Samsung’s green memory solutions have evolved into environmentally sustainable products that can also provide substantial financial returns. The case traces the history of Samsung’s green management initiative – starting since its inception in 2009 till the creation of its present day 5th generation green memory products. The study highlights the growing significance of CSR practices for technology companies and reaffirms the potential large-scale impact of such initiatives on the company’s competitiveness and to the direction of innovation in the industry as a whole.