1. SNOWSPORTS INTERACTIVE
PRESENTED BY:
Omar Alvarez
Daniel Bae
Miran Ramadanovic
Shelby Saenz
Hossein Saharkhiz
Ishan Talukdar

2. PURPOSE •Overcoming challenges •Limited operating history
•Protection of intellectual property
•Flaik
•Tracking accessory
•Whispar
•Analytical software

3. PURPOSE •VRIO •“Latest technology…and a simple user interface”
•Peace of mind
•Entering an international market

4. SSI’s direct competition for Falik
VRIO Framework
value adding activities for SSI will be stronger for the company’s resources and capabilities
Rarity
SSI’s direct competition for Falik
The company should be able to identified its competitive advantage
Imitability
two main streams
GPS tracker
sports tools
SSI’s potential competition comes from two main streams, namely, recreational GPS receiver and sports tool manufacturers and recreational snow sports analysis service providers. This also suggests that imitability, if not high, is definitely a possibility.
The firm’s organization, which is adequate for Australian business, may not be sufficient to cope with the realities of expansion.

5. SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
Talented workforce
In-house R&D
Unique product
Government assistance
Weaknesses
Small company
Forecasted losses
Demand reliant on weather
Sourcing from a large number of companies
Opportunities
Relative ease of access into U.S.
Increased interest in snow sports among children
SIA presents networking opportunities
Threats
Aging customer base
Competitors with similar products
International regulations

6. What is SSI and History
Founders Steve Kenny & Shubber Ali envisioned a skier tracker system
Established in Brisbane, Australia
SSI technology enables to connect among skiers and assets at any ski resorts
The company made a contract with i.Lab in Nov. 2005
Part of the Queenland Government’s new Statewide Technology Incubation Strategy
i.Lab is a business incubator to support early stage, high-tech companies through the first few years of development by building their business management capabilities

7. Product and Service Whispar: wireless internet service for companies
Flaik: features Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker where people can transmit their position
SSI spent about 2 years for research and development for Flaik
In 2006, the company ran the beta for the product at Mt. Buller
After successful test run, the system came into operation in June 2006.
About Flaik: Worn by skiers and snowboarders, included multiple technologies, including Global Positioning System (GPS) units to continuously monitor the position and time of users and GSM Communications unites to transmit position and time data to a Network Operating Centre
SSI were able to run a beta test of SSI technology to Mt. Buller Alpine Resort located in Melbourne. The resort was the fourth largest among Australia’s five major ski resorts

8. Industry and Customers
Snow sports industry composed of many aspects
Manufacturing, retailing, resort development, and tourism
Rising of X-sports
Snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding, bike stunt riding, motocross, and surfing have become recently famous
Experience of rapidly growing women’s and children’s equipment and apparel stores
speaking with the consumer profile, there were significant increase in participation by children in the and age groups.

9. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Competition Future Trends
NASTAR, Slope Tracker, Suunto, and Navman are all firms that are now competing with SSI because they sell similar products
Competitive Advantage “real time remote monitoring”, safety application, and the ability to locate friends.
“New School” festival, music and action sports all in one. It is extremely popular with kids from the ages of 12-16
Telemark Skiing
Gen-Y is very diverse
Practical X Fashion forward apparel

10. ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS
Product:
Flaik & Whispar
Strategy:
Partnerships with ski resorts
Structure:
Limited Liability company
Australian resort & local team
Financial Status:
“Family, friends, fools”
Future Outcomes:
Expansion into foreign markets

11. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS
1. Australia: 12 resorts
U.S.A: 500 resorts
2. Cost leadership strategy
3. Patent intellectual property
4. Partnership with the government
5. Alliances with 8,500+ winter sport distributors
6. Apply software to other sports

12. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS
7. More R&D investment
8. Longer warranty services to be offered
9. A slow start with partnerships with a few resorts (preferably closer to Australian snow sports)
10. Expand in the number of resorts they partner up with at a reasonable pace

13. QUESTIONS?