Summary: RIM

Mike Lazaridis founded RIM in 1984, while studying electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Waterloo. RIM was an electronics and computer science consulting business, that later focused on developing technology for the wireless transmission of data, such as email and text messages.

However, RIM has some weaknesses to conquer as well. RIM focused only in its niche market which is risky because competitors may take away RIM’s customers which is not good for any organization. Well, RIM remains the most successful mobile software vendor, but not in its hardware. If we come to the RIM’s hardware, there are limitations of it. Furthermore, RIM has a limited application stores and even for the customer services

- Difficult to enter: Smartphone production involves many patents and proprietary knowledge. Even established companies are embroiled in legal battles over patent issues.

Joseph Palenchar (2013) noted that “the old days saw BlackBerry’s market share in global smartphone shipments peak in 2009 at 20% and fall to 5% in 2012, marking the company’s lowest level since 2003.” (para. 3) “Increase the chances that BlackBerry can regain some of its lost market share during the make-or-break year of 2013” (para. 9) Revenue is declining because the market is becoming smaller. With Apple, Samsung’s products are growing deeply in customers’ impression, BlackBerry is standing in the behind position compare with those two brands. BlackBerry is not enough strong to attract those Apple and Samsung’s customers to choose its products even they produce the new products.

During the stock market game I decided to invest in the Canadian Tire Corporation which is represented by the symbol CTC.A.TO on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Canadian Tire is a large retail store in Canada that sells a wide variety of products ranging from automotive products to sporting goods. Currently, Canadian Tire owns many other retail companies like Marks Work Warehouse, Sport Chek, PartSource, FGL and more. In addition, Canadian Tire has been one of Canada's most recognized and trusted brands for over ninety years.

The company you work for has just woken up, smelled the coffee, and realized the potential impact of disruptive innovation on its strategy and its ultimate survival. In particular, your company wishes to avoid Research in Motion (RIM)’s fate in the smartphone devices and mobile operating software systems markets. As part of your company’s reassessment of its current situation, you have been tasked with providing an overview and summary analysis of RIM’s organizational strategy during those critical years when RIM went from dominant market leader to little more than an inconsequential player in the smartphone devices and mobile operating software systems markets. Your analysis

In conclusion of the Porter Analysis, it is apparent that RIM’s largest threat is their competition. The only other notable threat is the growing consumer buying power. If the company would become more innovative like their competition, it would add value to their product and take away from the consumers buying power. RIM’s market shares are decreasing largely due to the fact that they cannot compete with Apple and the Android because they are not offering new and differentiated products.

Mike Lazaridis, RIM’s CO-Chief Executive Officer, was a passionate advocate for the power of basis science to improve and transform the world. With his engineering degree, Lazaridis is responsible for product strategy, research and development, product development and manufacturing. Jim Balsillie with more charismatic and outgoing personality brought his wealth of business knowledge to RIM. With such strong leading executive team, RIM had achieved a great employee growth by department from Fiscal 1999 to 2001. (exhibit 3) Moreover, RIM has a well-developed corporate culture that celebrates achievement, creativity, and risk taking. Employees at RIM were well compensated and motivated by various benefits, at the meanwhile, RIM is also famous for its corporate giving to the communities.

In 2014 both Apple and Samsung sold a combined total of about 108.2 million units of their products! Samsung sold about 71 million units while on the other hand Apple sold 94.75 million units. For the past few years, the competing and comparison between Apple and Samsung was at its maximum. Fights started between people to prove an idea about which company is the best but they did not know that they were only comparing their smartphone. That is not the only thing a person should concentrate at while comparing two of the biggest multinationals in the world. People should look at the sales of all of the company’s products, their profits and losses, the history of the company, and the reviews of the people about their

RIM has had a rash of bad press due to failures in its email system as well as its product and management strategy. RIM has suffered two major disruptions of service in 2009 and 2011 that have tarnished the touted reliability standard that has been a standard marketing tool for BlackBerry devices. In 2011 alone, RIM stock dropped more than 50% due to a series of product errors and profit warnings. (Sharp & Prodhan, 2011)

We chose to research Apple Incorporated, one of the most innovative companies of our generation. It is safe to say that nearly every one in the US and many foreign countries have used or at least heard of Apple products. We will be looking at the macroeconomic variables that impact Apple’s business as well as how the current developments in the industry have impacted Apple’s financials and we will also look at how Apple competes with other firms in the same industry.

2008-09, RIM‟s market share kept on escalating with it acquiring a good deal of market while also expanding its product portfolio to cater to the need of people at the same time.

* In 1985, Compaq and IBM do a research and development (R&D) and make move Apple into the mainstream by becoming low-cost producer and joint venture with IBM. This’s one of Apple failure moment and Apple Gross margin drop to 34%.

Apple’s main industries, personal computer, portable music player and mobile phone industries, are generally in the Shakeout Phase. These industries reflect Investopedia’s traits of a Shakeout Phase :

▪ BlackBerry product first launched in 1999 ▪ Wide range of Wireless Service Providers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and all major global providers) ▪ 41 Million units sold in 2009 ▪ 80+ Million units currently in use globally