I have always been interested in why companies with a once dominant position in the market place manage to screw it up completely and then disappear For example, Kodak who invented the digital camera being put out of business by the digital camera.
Research in Motion (RIMM) were the creators of the Blackberry which was the weapon of choice for as they termed it the road warrior corporate executive (what a wank). In fact Blackberry’s were so ubiquitous that they were nicknamed Crackberries for their users devotion and then came the smartphone. RIMMs response to the smartphone seemed to be the same as every other company adopts when faced with a new device/technology/idea that threatens their survival. They manned up and simply failed to respond, which must be something they teach in business school.
The chart below shows the relative performance of RIMM versus Apple and Google the main players in the smartphone market. As you can see RIMM is stuffed.
However, all is not lost for the devotees of the Blackberry and for RIMM’s unfortunately shareholders. The management have made a music video to show to developers. Not an inspirational corporate video of the sickly semi – patriotic dross that yanks generally produce but rather some of their executives covering the 1970’s REO Speedwagon ballad “Keep on Loving You”
I am certain that will do wonders for the long suffering shareholders of RIMM
