Abstract

Kodak, which ruled the imaging industry through innovation for more than a century, found itself facing tough times in the early 2000s. The company lost focus by diversifying into many products and also failed to keep in touch with the changing needs of the consumers. Though a pioneer in the digital space, the company failed to take the initiative and capitalize on the digital business due to fear of cannibalizing the existing product lines. The company slowly started moving into the digital space but found that it was too late and the competition had become formidable. The company realigned its business model and brought in top executives from outside in a bid to recapture lost ground.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the Kodak story
• To analyze how business models have to change over time to keep abreast of the changing consumer tastes
• Analyze the rationale for Kodak’s poor business performance in recent years.
• Understand and explore the reasons behind Kodak’s fall

Keywords

Kodak, Eastman, Antonio M Perez, Digital, Dry Plate, Films, Corporate Restructuring, Digital camera, Photo CD System, M.C. Fisher, Printer, Diversification, Leadership, Innovation, Strategy, Competition, Daniel Allen 'Dan' Carp, Future Growth, Yusuke Kojima, EASYSHARE, Share Moments. Share Life, 'You press the button, we do the rest'