I'm print this out in large type on 11x17 paper, framing it, and hanging it in our office hallway with the caption: "Never sound like this."
RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
21–30 of 113 posts
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#22This sounds an awfully lot like Nokia's reaction to the iPhone. And see where they went.
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#23RIM has $3 Billion in cash? I guess I'm not that surprised, but that's quite a bit of "help us get back on our feet money." With some clear direction (which they may or may not get from their current executives) they could definitely regain some of their previous market. The more competition the better, and having another player in the mobile space can only improve things for the consumer (and the enterprise).
I wonder though, if the fact that they have so much money (and thus so much to lose) is part of the reason why RIM has lost their direction? Surely that has to have some sort of cultural impact?
Could be. Microsoft seems to have suffered a similar fate. My original point was that with a company that is that fiscally responsible, it is much less likely for it to go belly up than to flounder for a bit and then refocus and find its market.
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#24[deleted]
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wonder though, if the fact that they have so much money (and thus so much to lose) is part of the reason why RIM has lost their direction? Surely that has to have some sort of cultural impact?
Could be. Microsoft seems to have suffered a similar fate. My original point was that with a company that is that fiscally responsible, it is much less likely for it to go belly up than to flounder for a bit and then refocus and find its market.
I agree. Your comment made me think, what would I do if I was the CEO of RIM? To be honest, it caused a sense of great dread, having to try and turn a company with that kind of inertia around, without screwing the pooch. Especially if $3 Billion is on the line.
I find it more comfortable to be a little guy, where I can make a mistake that only wastes a little bit of money, or time. I'd prefer to have small and frequent failures than one HUGE one!
That's what got me thinking about the culture in RIM - and perhaps the culture in any sufficiently large firm.
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#26There is a fundamental business reality however that following an extended period of hyper growth (during which RIM nearly quadrupled in size over the past 5 years alone), it has become necessary for the company to streamline its operations in order to allow it to grow its business profitably while pursuing newer strategic opportunities. So basically they're saying they're taking a break from innovating and will spen…
Didn't Google grow a lot more than 400% over 5 years? I can't really see this as a proper excuse.
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#27proves the original author's point wonderfully, doesn't it?
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#28[deleted]
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#29The original letter emphasized that RIM is too corporate and that that's stifling innovation and progress at the company. So what does RIM do? Fire off a press release that extols the virtues of and attempts to justify that bureaucracy.
/Facepalm
Re: RIM’s Response to 'Open Letter'
#30RIM has $3 Billion in cash? I guess I'm not that surprised, but that's quite a bit of "help us get back on our feet money." With some clear direction (which they may or may not get from their current executives) they could definitely regain some of their previous market. The more competition the better, and having another player in the mobile space can only improve things for the consumer (and the enterprise).
It really isn't that much. Look at it this way...
The way a corporate balance sheet works you don't spend money manufacturing your product. What you do is convert the asset from money to a physical product you can sell. But that asset is still on your books as being worth whatever you paid to manufacture it.
RIM claims to have "shipped" 13.2 Million smartphones in the last quarter (as opposed to "sold"). Assume their phones cost about as much as Apple's iPhone (Via iSuppli: $187 to build) and you have $2.46 billion worth of assets in the channel. And that's only smartphones. It doesn't count the playbook.
Keep in mind carriers can return shipped phones. So really RIM's $3 billion only serves to put them at even every quarter
So in the grand scheme of things it isn't that much.