Research Article
EVISIS’s Business Strategy: A Case Study on Vertical Integration and Competitive Advantage in the EV Charging Infrastructure Industry
1 Hanyang University
Published: January 2026 · Vol. 30, No. 1 · pp. 139-175
Abstract
This case study analyzes how EVSIS, a leading electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure company in South Korea, achieved market leadership within a short period despite the structural limitations of the domestic market. After its acquisition by Lotte Group in 2022, EVSIS leveraged the group’s logistics, retail, and real estate assets to secure strategic locations and established a vertically integrated system encompassing manufacturing, installation, operation, and platform management. This integrated operation enabled consistent control over charger quality and user experience, positioning reliability as a key source of competitive advantage compared to competitors dependent on outsourcing. Grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities framework, the study highlights that EVSIS’s success stems not merely from possessing superior resources but from its ability to dynamically reconfigure them to fit changing market environments. Furthermore, the synergy between group-level assets and business-level strategies—termed cross-level fit—is identified as a mechanism that generates system-wide competitiveness. The case also examines how EVSIS’s integration strategy contributes to sustainable competitive advantage as it expands globally and evolves toward smart energy services. Through this lens, the study offers both theoretical and practical implications for firms in emerging technology-based industries, suggesting that the integration and dynamic orchestration of resources are essential for overcoming structural inefficiencies and achieving sustainable growth.
