Abstract

The case discusses the evolution of the US-based Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe) into the world’s largest software solutions provider for the publishing industry. While covering the company’s history in detail, the case explains how it revolutionized the desktop publishing industry through its innovative offerings [especially Adobe Acrobat and the Portable Document File (PDF) format]. It discusses various other products launched over the years that changed the dynamics of the web publishing business. The case also provides details about the various business segments Adobe operated in, and the strategies it adopted to emerge as a leader in these segments. The case ends with information about the company’s business growth strategies for 2004 and beyond, and comments on its future growth prospects.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Strategies an IT company adopts to market its products.

Keywords

Evolution, US-based, Adobe Systems Incorporated, software solutions provider, publishing industry, revolutionized, desktop publishing industry, its innovative offerings, Adobe Acrobat, Portable Document File, strategies, leader, segments, information, business growth, strategies, 2004, growth prospects