RIM CEOs to Give Up Top Posts in Shuffle (opens in new tab)

(online.wsj.com)

84 pointsmatt_p14y ago39 comments

39 comments

25 comments · 12 top-level

faramarz14y ago· 5 in thread

Quote from The Globe and Mail article[1] I read earlier:

  "...new chief executive officer says the company is doing 
  everything right and does not need a change in 
  strategy..."

oh boy!

[1] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/at-researc...

xal14y ago

That's generally a good thing to say when the people that he has to calm the most are the Street and their demotivated workforce. People as a whole don't like change.

resnamen14y ago

Not if the status quo is terrible.

1 more reply

loceng14y ago

You don't accomplish this change in people by saying things are fine - you act and do things that show you and the company is strong. That's the only way people will change their feelings. And you better be truthful when promoting your enthusiasm or it'll come back to bite you..

eli14y ago

Yeah, I agree. Even if you can see the current strategy is failing, you shouldn't go throwing bombs unless and until you think of something better.

2 more replies

zeroboy14y ago

RIM is one of those rare companies that have the ability to gloat whilst having their ass handed to them.

mvkel14y ago· 5 in thread

Too little too late? If we start seeing tons of "expense cutting" measures with no innovation, they need to

a) hire from the outside for a fresh perspective

b) get acquired

MBCook14y ago

I think their only chance to be relevant would be to get our of the hardware business and rush to be a service company. They should start making Blackberry Enterprise Server integration for Android. They should see if they could get Apple to let the iPhone hook in too.

Their phones are a lost cause. Even if they had an amazing phone in the pipeline, I don't think they could stop their slide if it was released tomorrow.

At this point, BES and their patents are the things with any value.

cpeterso14y ago

Spot on. People loved their CrackBerries because of the messaging services (and maybe the keyboards), not the tired phone software. iOS and Android devices dominate the enterprise now, but RIM could retain a server-side position BES. IT departments might like a single enterprising message service that can they can standardize across the variety of Android and iOS devices they will have to support.

1 more reply

farrel14y ago

Remember when people were screaming at Apple to get out the hardware game in 1997?

justincormack14y ago

It is just as hard to see how you coukd build a long term sustainable company based on BES though. In the end selling it to Microsoft would seem the only sane outcome, so it can be part of a Windows offering.

JS_startup14y ago

Way too late. RIM has very little in the pipeline and still seems determined to try and make the PlayBook work.

Rumors are that they're shopping the company around but asking too much.

wavephorm14y ago· 3 in thread

The fact that it took this long for the CEO's to step down reflects the extreme arrogance of this company. I've attended a few RIM-sponsored events in the Waterloo, and it's downright shocking how cocky the reps and developers are. RIM appears to be living in its own little tech bubble, blissfully ignorant that pretty much everywhere else in the first world owns or will own an iPhone.

This company makes a lot of money, they still have a lot of marketshare, but there's no question they are in a serious downdraft. It would be completely normal for any company in this situation to put itself up for sale. I'm a little surprised Google choose to buy Motorola Mobility rather than RIM, given that RIM has a lower market value and has more attractive assets.

Regardless of what it says in the press I imagine finding a potential acquirer of the company will be the first task of the new CEO.

martythemaniak14y ago

"...blissfully ignorant that pretty much everywhere else in the first world owns or will own an iPhone"

Speaking of living in a bubble...

wavephorm14y ago

What I meant was that RIM and their execs have been insulated from the true damage being done to their business and more importantly their mindshare among developers. Apple's success with iPhone and iPad is absolutely not what I'd call a bubble.

1 more reply

fierarul14y ago

>This company makes a lot of money, they still have a lot of marketshare, but there's no question they are in a serious downdraft. It would be completely normal for any company in this situation to put itself up for sale.

So you would sell a profitable company with a large market share?

kefs14y ago

Official press release:

http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=5358

and more info:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/jim-balsillie...

rdl14y ago

Perhaps Ballmer will step aside at Microsoft for Qi Lu, next?

HP would be the other company in my "management-impaired former titans" portfolio which might benefit from a change (they'll probably want to wait a bit, and Meg Whitman is definitely an improvement over some of their other CEOs.)

davidw14y ago

I could see this company earning a spot in future versions of 'In Search of Stupidity'. (If you don't know the book, don't knock what I'm saying before you read it. It's one of my favorite reads about high tech business)

phil14y ago

According to the press release, they are also out as co-chairs of the board.

Lazaridis is becoming Vice Chair (whatever that means) and Balsillie is retaining his seat but will be stripped of all titles.

Mordor14y ago

Perhaps RIM's real value lies in their patents (or lack thereof) and this explains why they are unable to make a viable product?

digamber_kamat14y ago

Too less too late. They should focus all their energies on BBX and be a lot more developer friendly.

Slimy14y ago

Full article without ad: http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB1000142405297020462420... Video: http://youtu.be/QUFwhpcrCTw

1 more reply

jeffdechambeau14y ago

Finally.

JS_startup14y ago

Deck chairs..Titanic..

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

39 comments

25 comments · 12 top-level

faramarz14y ago· 5 in thread

Quote from The Globe and Mail article[1] I read earlier:

  "...new chief executive officer says the company is doing 
  everything right and does not need a change in 
  strategy..."

oh boy!

[1] http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/at-researc...

xal14y ago

That's generally a good thing to say when the people that he has to calm the most are the Street and their demotivated workforce. People as a whole don't like change.

resnamen14y ago

Not if the status quo is terrible.

1 more reply

loceng14y ago

eli14y ago

Yeah, I agree. Even if you can see the current strategy is failing, you shouldn't go throwing bombs unless and until you think of something better.

2 more replies

zeroboy14y ago

RIM is one of those rare companies that have the ability to gloat whilst having their ass handed to them.

mvkel14y ago· 5 in thread

Too little too late? If we start seeing tons of "expense cutting" measures with no innovation, they need to

a) hire from the outside for a fresh perspective

b) get acquired

MBCook14y ago

Their phones are a lost cause. Even if they had an amazing phone in the pipeline, I don't think they could stop their slide if it was released tomorrow.

At this point, BES and their patents are the things with any value.

cpeterso14y ago

1 more reply

farrel14y ago

Remember when people were screaming at Apple to get out the hardware game in 1997?

justincormack14y ago

JS_startup14y ago

Way too late. RIM has very little in the pipeline and still seems determined to try and make the PlayBook work.

Rumors are that they're shopping the company around but asking too much.

wavephorm14y ago· 3 in thread

Regardless of what it says in the press I imagine finding a potential acquirer of the company will be the first task of the new CEO.

martythemaniak14y ago

"...blissfully ignorant that pretty much everywhere else in the first world owns or will own an iPhone"

Speaking of living in a bubble...

wavephorm14y ago

1 more reply

fierarul14y ago

So you would sell a profitable company with a large market share?

kefs14y ago

Official press release:

http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=5358

and more info:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/jim-balsillie...

rdl14y ago

Perhaps Ballmer will step aside at Microsoft for Qi Lu, next?

davidw14y ago

phil14y ago

According to the press release, they are also out as co-chairs of the board.

Lazaridis is becoming Vice Chair (whatever that means) and Balsillie is retaining his seat but will be stripped of all titles.

Mordor14y ago

Perhaps RIM's real value lies in their patents (or lack thereof) and this explains why they are unable to make a viable product?

digamber_kamat14y ago

Too less too late. They should focus all their energies on BBX and be a lot more developer friendly.

Slimy14y ago

Full article without ad: http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB1000142405297020462420... Video: http://youtu.be/QUFwhpcrCTw

1 more reply

jeffdechambeau14y ago

Finally.

JS_startup14y ago

Deck chairs..Titanic..

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse