Abstract

On January 19, 2012, Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak) filed a voluntary petition for business reorganization under Chapter 11 of the US bankruptcy code. From being a household name to filing for bankruptcy, it was a steep fall for the 131-year-old photography pioneer, which had been one of the top brands in the world till 1990. Despite being innovative, the company failed to capitalize on its innovations and lost out to the competition. The case chalks out the life of Kodak with a focus on the last decade before it filed for bankruptcy. The Kodak story throws up very useful twists and turns with decision points which would be important learning for today’s managers.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Examine the flaws in Kodak's business strategy that led to the company filing for Chapter 11 protection.
• Understand the rationale for Kodak’s poor business performance in recent years.
• Understand and explore the reasons behind Kodak’s fall and its learning for the managers

Keywords

Kodak, Bankruptcy, Eastman, Antonio M Perez, Digital, Dry Plate, Films, Corporate Restructuring, Digital camera , Photo CD System, M.C. Fisher, Antonio M. Perez, Printer, U.S. Retiree Benefits, Post-Employment Benefit, diversification, Leadership, Innovation, Strategy, Competitive