The company has focused much of its development effort on areas it believes can support its corporate philosophy. These areas include ‘prototypeless design’ where development costs and lead-times have been considerably reduced by the replacement of multiple physical prototypes with 3D CAD systems, simulation, measurement, and analysis technologies. In addition, the company has invested heavily in the development of its ‘Five Imaging Engines’ - namely image capture, electrophotography, inkjet printing, photolithography and display technology to support the Canon product businesses. Each engine is strengthened by a fusion of various technologies and has become the source of the company’s competitive advantage. At the same time, Canon has continued to pioneer its four core-competency areas of precision mechanics, fine optics, microelectronics and electronic imaging, resulting in the development of innovations such as CMOS Sensors, the electronic eyes of digital cameras and Color Management, the unified system used for all Canon products that have embedded colour imaging. Just over 8% of the company’s sales is ploughed back into new technology research, which is undertaken by a global R&D network spread over seven locations worldwide. One outcome is 14 consecutive years as one of the top 3 recipients of US patents.

Supporting this R&D is a considerable market effort to distinguish Canon from the competition. Global relationships have been built on a Java-based open-application platform that enables the addition of functions to complex office machines including WSSS - a web-based system that provides online 24-hour, year-round customer service and support for Canon products. In addition to ensure continual evolution of products around customer needs, direct consumer input to innovation is monitored by a system that keeps Canon abreast of product and service quality information through centrally managing comments received from customers. The data compiled is shared worldwide and use in product development and improved user guides. With this combination of radical and incremental innovation being driven equally by strategic intent and cultural philosophy, Canon is widely regarded as a leader in sustainable growth and one which many are seeking to emulate.

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