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from the the-times-they-are-a-changing dept.
In defense of Kodak and its 'failure' to innovate:
Kodak has been the ultimate bogeyman of MBA programs. You've heard the story. The company held an unassailable position in one the world's largest markets. It had a deep, lasting brand with consumers and professionals along with a high-margin recurring revenue stream.
But it failed to fully understand the impact of emerging technologies. It couldn't get its 100+ year-old self to pivot in time. It didn't cross the chasm and cannonballed deep into the abyss.
You could build a small mountain out of the airport books that regurgitate this horror story.
It's also not exactly true. With established companies facing competition and upstarts claiming to have the upper hand through disruption, now is a good time to re-examine the myth:
- Kodak faced a transition few, if any, companies could have made
- But it could have been a brand!
- But it didn't invest in innovation!
- But now there's nothing left!
[Note - This story comes from TheNextWeb's Podium section which is described as "Opinion, advice, and analysis by the TNW community". -- Ed.]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Monday November 25 2019, @04:19PM (2 children)
Which is rather ironic, considering that Sears got it's start in the mail order business. Originally, Sears wasn't especially known for it's quality, but for it's availability, and willingness to ship anywhere. Over the course of a few decades, Sears added the quality and reliability schtick to it's name. When they started diversifying into unrelated stuff, like insurance, they began to lose their quality and reliability edge. If they had just gone back to their original core business of mail order, adapted it to the internet, they probably could have hung on, and competed with the likes of Amazon.
At least, that's how I see it. Differing opinions are welcome!
(Score: 1) by anubi on Tuesday November 26 2019, @03:48AM (1 child)
I still visit Sears at the mall. But haven't bought anything in years. Can't buy anything without getting all tangled up in cash back ( in points ), when points are issued, under what terms and conditions points can be redeemed, on which items they apply to, minimum spend amounts, time deadlines, and whatever more fine print business talk some Sears marketing executive is having a wet dream over.
Meanwhile, I feel on the sucker side of three-card-monte shell games. I get nauseous. But then, I am the least meaningful component of their business model. I am an old coot, raised by parents that bought everything at Sears. By God, wasn't I properly trained to sign and accept terms and conditions?
Then go to Walmart to buy it.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 26 2019, @07:18AM
There is a single word that, when I hear it or think of it, immediately takes me back to my childhood, and the times spent in the Sears clothing section with my mother. Me holding her purse while she holds various pairs of jeans against me to judge the size, uncaring of any preference on my part to be anywhere but there.
The word is: "husky".