Abstract

This case examines the strategies adopted by Edward Zander to turn around US based telecom giant - Motorola, which was making losses in the early 2000s. It discusses the business problems faced by Motorola since the late 1990s and details the measures taken by Zander to bring Motorola back into profits. Zander infused the company with a new culture and energy, did away with highly bureaucratic set up and brought out several new products, which were responsible for putting the company back on the growth track.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand and appreciate the role of a leader in reviving the fortunes of a loss making company
• Evaluate the strategies adopted by Zander to turn Motorola around
• Determine the reasons behind poor financial performance of market leaders like Motorola.

Keywords

Motorola, Corporate Turnaround, Edward Zander, Iridium Project, Culture, Bureaucracy, Hello MOTO, Performance Appraisal, Seamless Mobility, Restructuring, Management Structure, Communication Gap, Product Development, Product Design, Commoditization