91–100 of 113 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
More importantly, no emotion. The letter to RIM used personal pronouns and conveyed a sense of exasperation or frustration, while the response by RIM is incredibly dry and distant.
Great point. I sometimes think that CEOs of typical large corporations like RIM are a totally different species.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
"It is obviously difficult to address anonymous commentary and it is particularly difficult to believe that a 'high level employee' in good standing with the company would choose to anonymously publish a letter on the web rather than engage their fellow executives in a constructive manner" says the unsigned blog post.
Most of us do this everytime we post to HN and let our logic stand for itself. I feel this is the most reasonable way to conduct ourselves, and I have come to hate browsing blog comments after being spoiled by HN.
I'm thinking about the response I'd choose if I were in one of the CEO seats at RIM, and I'm not sure I could have improved on this response. As noted, it's kind of content free and does not acknowledge any responsibility. But RIM had to make SOME short-term press release response that communicates the company strengths. No response would carry risk of a strong negative press and social media response. At the same ti…
I think the obvious tactic, would be to say "The open letter identifies issues that we too have identified and take very seriously at RIM, our current restructuring is specifically designed to address them and other issues that we believe will propel into a new era of growth. In terms of user experience we are doing X. We are strengthening our software management by doing Y." You take the criticism, acknowledge it an…
As far as investors/Wall Street/the wider public goes, the non-answer might actually be the better response. Appearing to take the criticism seriously could be more damaging--hopefully internally, they are indeed taking the criticism seriously.
I'm thinking about the response I'd choose if I were in one of the CEO seats at RIM, and I'm not sure I could have improved on this response. As noted, it's kind of content free and does not acknowledge any responsibility. But RIM had to make SOME short-term press release response that communicates the company strengths. No response would carry risk of a strong negative press and social media response. At the same ti…
I completely disagree. A company can be frank and honest without revealing anything. Of course they needed to release a press statement in immediate response. The press release could have been written much better as to not sound so nonchalant about the whole situation. For instance, they could have acknowledged the shortcomings of their current product and announced that their current roadmap's focus was on developin…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think the obvious tactic, would be to say "The open letter identifies issues that we too have identified and take very seriously at RIM, our current restructuring is specifically designed to address them and other issues that we believe will propel into a new era of growth. In terms of user experience we are doing X. We are strengthening our software management by doing Y." You take the criticism, acknowledge it an…
The funny thing is, it's only on circles like these at HN that it seems the corporation should "take the criticism." As far as investors/Wall Street/the wider public goes, the non-answer might actually be the better response. Appearing to take the criticism seriously could be more damaging--hopefully internally, they are indeed taking the criticism seriously.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
My point was that past success and cash at hand does not guarantee future success and RIM did nothing to allay the concerns around their repeatedly failing strategy. So the assurance that we have money and we can try things out is not really in the spirit of the open letter - it is not worthwhile to point out cash at hand in this context.
What repeatedly failing strategy? Their strategy seems to have created a very successful business, although they failed to update it with the changing market. They've acknowledged that and have new products in the works that they hope address their shortcomings. What would you rather them do beyond this? Claim a major shake up of their internal structure? That would be incredibly damaging to their ability to quickly…
Hmm. Let's see -
1) Failing to see and then react to the post Blackberry SmartPhone world for years.
2) Failing to have a coherent platform strategy for Mobile Devices before launching straight into Playbook
3) Having no strategy at all - who in their right mind would ship a utterly undifferentiated, incomplete, direction less product first while not making any progress on the SmartPhone front which was ever so crucial.
4) It is 2nd half of 2011 - and RIM hasn't shipped a passable Smart Phone and there is no communication as to what their roadmap is - they probably still don't have one.
You think the negativity is hyperbolic? It is right on the money as far as facts are concerned.
As to asking me what they should do - just ship a damn decent smartphone first that can compete head to head with the competition. Show some innovative, differentiated design and awesome features. Then make a tablet that extends that phone and works well with it.
And I suspect their internal structure is all too much a part of the problem that they aren't able to ship anything decent. So they just need to shake it up - it can't be more damaging than their current status quo - nothing can be. Frankly Mike and Jim are just stagnating themselves - they just don't get it. Fresh thinking is in order one for RIM. Otherwise it aligns with the definition of insanity - performing same actions and expecting new results.
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."
I'd like to know why. Sounded cogent to me.
The entire thing reads like PR-speak. Why even bother with such a non-response.
I love RIM - they're the gift that doesn't stop giving for my new Tumblr http://corporatebs.tumblr.com/ ; :)
Brilliant site. Please, allow users to post comments and "translations" for each post!
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most of us do this everytime we post to HN and let our logic stand for itself. I feel this is the most reasonable way to conduct ourselves, and I have come to hate browsing blog comments after being spoiled by HN.
It's definitely reasonable; but we are also not explicitly speaking for a corporation.