Influencing Organisational Strategy: A Case Study of Eastman Kodak's Digital Imaging Strategy

Influencing Organisational Strategy

Table of Content
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
1.0 What was Kodak’s digital imaging strategy during 1992-2012?.........................................3
1.2 Why did the strategy fail?....................................................................................................6
1.3 Was there a better alternative to the strategy?.....................................................................8
1.4 What can other companies facing disruptive change in their core business (e.g. Microsoft,
Sony, Walt Disney) learn from the experience of Eastman Kodak?..........................................8
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
Reference..................................................................................................................................11

Introduction
Any organization in the business sector maintains a set of decorum of planning. This
planning influences the working strategy and provides profit to the organization. Following a
definite planning within an organization is strategy. Implementation of strategy has to be in
an efficient way with a superior leader evaluating it. Organizational strategy is the all over
actions taken to develop a certain strategy (Cannon et al., 2011). Planning is form to organize
the structure of the industry. In other terms, to acquire the long-term scale productions,
implementation, evaluation and planning is included in the strategy development. A strategy
values the vision and goal of an organization. It is the holistic and integrative needs of an
organization. This organization builds up with a strategic planning.
Strategy management is implementing the goals to achieve certain objectives. Objectives are
set forth to acquire revenue. In the early 2000s, Kodak Company face a tough time in the face
of the marketing industry. In spite of occupying a pioneer role in the digital marketing area,
company fail to realize the importance of capital on digital marketing. In a society, when
there are not too many companies to compete with one another, strategy management is not
so essential. With the presence of competitors, the concept of strategic management comes
into existence. Population growing numerically led to the need of the demand of variety and
diversified products. Kodak fail to assure this part of the customers wants.
1.0 What was Kodak’s digital imaging strategy during 1992-2012?
In the year 1990, Kodak had launched photo CD system for storing photographic images. In
the era of George Fisher as the CEO, first digital camera got introduced. The concept of
Kodak having photographic business changed to picture business.
It was consider as a leader in the field of digital minilabs. It embraces first megapixel
electronic image sensor following a number of new products for scanning and electronic
image capture. Storage, retrieving and editing graphical and microfilm images was possible
with the assistance of computers. The photo CD system helped the digitalized photographic
images to be stored in compact disk. There was a huge transformation from traditional
photographic company to digital imaging. Different strategy was frame for consumer market
and for the commercial markets. There was more emphasizes on the concept of printed
images. It was an evolutionary change that evokes the key abilities of Kodak in the field of

digital technology. Digital imaging was to ease the use of commercial benefits. The strategy
followed by Kodak during the era of 1992-2012 was:
 An incremental approach to managing the transition to digital imaging
 Bring traditional approach to the concept
 An emphasis on printed images
 External sourcing of knowledge through hiring, alliances, and acquisitions
 Different strategies was followed for the consumer market and for the professional
and commercial markets
‘Organizational strategy’ determines the design as well as the managerial role, which sets
up and coordinates with the various work process (Moran and Morner, 2017). Strategy is
build up with the views of achieving goals, objectives following certain practices and
activities. Different forms of organizational strategy are business unit, regional, functional
strategies. This strategy is build up on performance measures, critical skills, decision
authority. Strategic planning is building up on a definite timing zone, calculating the
requirements in next 6 months, then 6- 18 months and 18-36 months. Any strategy is build up
to where the company will stand in the next few months. If the development is achievable in
the assumed month, then strategy is successful. Any business unit completes itself including
research development, manufacturing, marketing, human resources and finance. Decision-
making is one of the strategies.
Incremental approach to the strategy: This approach signifies the step-by-step transformation
from the process of analogue to digital transformation. Launching new product for the
customer, including commercial printing was an organizational strategy but did not led to the
growth of the Company (Freeman, 2010).
In the first few era of quarter of the 20th century, Kodak was one of the leading companies in
the digital marketing scope. Rapid change in the technology was not the only reason behind
Kodak’s failure.
Building up a strategy includes locating the weakness and the strength of an organization.
This is call situation analysis. Working on the strategies helps to build up efficient
organizational workflow. Strategy is form to achieve some desired feature. Driving a strategy
within an organization requires proper planning and implanting those in the work place.
Strategy helps to deliver outstanding customer experience, lead in design, innovation and