SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — As Research In Motion Ltd. tries to reverse its slide, it’s tough to find anyone betting on its ability to recover.
From software developers to Wall Street, RIM’s(US:RIMM) long-term viability is in real doubt since the news last week that its next generation BlackBerry 10 software and devices won’t be available until next year. This could be a near-fatal blow for the pioneering company, as its smartphone competitors continue to leap ahead with new devices for the holiday season. RIM is also laying off 5,000 workers.
So as many start to analyze where the company went wrong, new business-school case studies are likely in the works. Here’s a look at what some of them might conclude:
1) Doomed by co-chief executives
This column was among the early advocates for investors who asked whether or not RIM’s dual-CEO structure was one of its core problems, and possibly a cause or contributing to its product delays and other issues.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal quoted former executives about RIM’s many missteps, including its “split personality in the executive suite,” noting that the offices of the two former co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis were a 10-minute drive apart in Waterloo, Ontario, and that they were each focusing on a different strategy.
Those two executives no longer lead the company but Lazaridis is still on the board. Under its new CEO, Thorsten Heins, RIM continues to pursue his strategy around a whole new operating system, based on software developed by a company it purchased, QNX Software, in 2010.
Heins told investors last week on a conference call that he realized he had “delivered a lot of tough news today,” and highlighted some of RIM’s plans to address its issues, including its job cuts, management changes, and its continuing discussions for strategic opportunities, such as alliances or licensing assets.
“When we come out of this transition period, we want to move forward with a lean and nimble organization that can act quickly and is aligned with our growth opportunities,” Heins said.
2) Developing yet another system
After Apple Inc. (US:AAPL) began to become a serious leader with the iPhone and its iOS software, app store and developer ecosystem, Google Inc. (US:GOOG) followed suit with its Android software and a more open approach to software developers, and it also quickly garnered support.
Even as it became clear that RIM was going to have to compete with Microsoft Corp.(US:MSFT) and the now-defunct Palm Inc. for the No. 3 slot in smartphones, it continued to back its plans to develop a whole new software and hardware system around QNX software, which was not even originally developed for mobile phones. QNX originally was developed as an embedded operating system for automotive entertainment systems.
From:articles.marketwatch.com
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — As Research In Motion Ltd. tries to reverse its slide, it’s tough to find anyone betting on its ability to recover.
From software developers to Wall Street, RIM’s(US:RIMM) long-term viability is in real doubt since the news last week that its next generation BlackBerry 10 software and devices won’t be available until next year. This could be a near-fatal blow for the pioneering company, as its smartphone competitors continue to leap ahead with new devices for the holiday season. RIM is also laying off 5,000 workers.
So as many start to analyze where the company went wrong, new business-school case studies are likely in the works. Here’s a look at what some of them might conclude:
1) Doomed by co-chief executives
This column was among the early advocates for investors who asked whether or not RIM’s dual-CEO structure was one of its core problems, and possibly a cause or contributing to its product delays and other issues.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal quoted former executives about RIM’s many missteps, including its “split personality in the executive suite,” noting that the offices of the two former co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis were a 10-minute drive apart in Waterloo, Ontario, and that they were each focusing on a different strategy.
Those two executives no longer lead the company but Lazaridis is still on the board. Under its new CEO, Thorsten Heins, RIM continues to pursue his strategy around a whole new operating system, based on software developed by a company it purchased, QNX Software, in 2010.
Heins told investors last week on a conference call that he realized he had “delivered a lot of tough news today,” and highlighted some of RIM’s plans to address its issues, including its job cuts, management changes, and its continuing discussions for strategic opportunities, such as alliances or licensing assets.
“When we come out of this transition period, we want to move forward with a lean and nimble organization that can act quickly and is aligned with our growth opportunities,” Heins said.
2) Developing yet another system
After Apple Inc. (US:AAPL) began to become a serious leader with the iPhone and its iOS software, app store and developer ecosystem, Google Inc. (US:GOOG) followed suit with its Android software and a more open approach to software developers, and it also quickly garnered support.
Even as it became clear that RIM was going to have to compete with Microsoft Corp.(US:MSFT) and the now-defunct Palm Inc. for the No. 3 slot in smartphones, it continued to back its plans to develop a whole new software and hardware system around QNX software, which was not even originally developed for mobile phones. QNX originally was developed as an embedded operating system for automotive entertainment systems.
From:articles.marketwatch.com
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