The company finds itself having to try to attract talented people, but without the cash or desirable location (sorry, Rochester) to attract the best talent. Further, there is perpetual uncertainty about the future of the company. Thus, reinventing itself as an innovator has proven to be a much greater challenge for Kodak than it has been for Fujifilm. Part of the problem was the conservative culture at Kodak, and part of it is that Kodak waited far too long to recognize the changes in the external environment and mount a credible response.

For its part, Fujifilm's management did a better job and the company is performing better today. Also, because it utilizes local production, it is not weighed down by pensions as Kodak is. For both of these companies, the same three steps are recommended to improve managerial flexibility. Both companies need to realize that they are now in the...
[ View Full Essay]