1. Invitrogen has been very successful in the past. Explain the reasons why Invitrogen chose acquisitions as its strategy for growth and expansion.

2. Are all Invitrogen’s acquisitions successful? What are the problems in achieving success?

3. Evaluate Invitrogen’s CEO, Greg Lucier’s strategic leadership. Has he been able to expand the company and maintain the growth for the future?

4. Evaluate Invitrogen’s next move in terms of acquisitions. Based on your analysis, what recommendations would you make to help Invitrogen achieve its goals?

This case highlights Invitrogen, one of the largest catalog life science companies in the industry. In a highly competitive industry, the company has taken some risky steps in order to continue its growth. Invitrogen built its growth from aggressive acquisitions combined with merchandising and operational excellence. However, not all acquisitions were successful, and as a result, the CEO Greg Lucier and the Vice President of Corporate Strategy Mark Gardner, have some difficult strategic decisions to make as they direct the future course of the company. 

The case opens with a summary of Invitrogen’s history. The life science industry is discussed, with an emphasis on the future of the industry: next-generation sequencing. A close look at the path to personalized medicine, along with competitive landscape that will impact Invitrogen in the years ahead, is discussed. As Lucier Gardner attempts to manage the quest for growth by acquisition of other companies, they need to be able to enhance the company’s competitiveness. Suggestions for the company’s acquisition strategy can be based on an analysis of different situational factors.