November 21, 2011 8:45 AM

In a pair of editorials recently (http://goo.gl/Tv2gE and http://goo.gl/0qSGQ) I discussed the problems at RIM and criticized the company both for its actual performance and for the way it communicated (entirely failed to communicate) with customers during the recent data outage.

Despite all that, I argued that the executive suite remain intact for now. It is a grave thing to kick out the execs who created one of Canada's few homegrown tech jewels, and I think the guys should be given until the middle of 2012 to show us how new devices and the BBX OS will revitalize sales.

And then there was good news recently: Omega Advisors acquired 1.5 million RIM shares and said the OS and new devices "are going to surprise people."

This was followed by troubling news: the PlayBook has seen widespread and across-the-board price cuts. The 16GB model is now widely available for $200, 60% less than its regular $500 price tag. This says nothing good about RIM's long-term prospects.

There are three options going forward: sell RIM to the highest bidder, either in whole or in parts; stay the course with the current execs; or keep RIM whole but under new leadership.

So what do you think? Where will RIM be one year from now?

Join us in our LinkedIn Group for a discussion on this.

Blogger Profile: Peter Wolchak

Peter Wolchak has been a professional print journalist for more than a decade. Starting as a news photographer at a community newspaper, Peter then worked as a staff writer at ComputerWorld Canada, a national trade magazine, and later served as the editor of that publication for four years. Peter then moved up to the national business magazine arena as the editor of Backbone. In addition to these journalism activities, Peter has also worked as a public speaker and discussion moderator, served as a judge for the McLuhan Festival’s Vortex awards, and sits on the E-Business Program Advisory Committee at Sheridan College.

Posted by Sue Ansell at November 21, 2011 8:45 AM

Categories: Economic development Canada Mobility Trends

Comments

email -

Don't blame CEO, they want RIM win.

RIM has strange culture and self distruct political environment.

In RIM if a new hired person figure out major problem and introduce efficient approach, both manager and his buddy group member will proof their wrong approach works. just like someone point out driving a car is right way, pushing a car is wrong way, then both manager and his buddy group member will hate you, and proof that 3 person can also move the car by pushing it. cheating email will be sent to some vice president, saying like: see, the car moving, pushing a car is a natural part of the process, in order to deny new hired contribution of introducing skill of drive a car, they have to deny merit of driving a car.

It is very strange company culture and strange company political environment, it promote stealing and cheating skill. RIM's management may be a typical instance in MBA course.

This culture deny or steal hardworking team members' contribution/innovation, generate strange political environment, destroy RIM.

So don't blame CEO, some of their VPs and VPs' expert generate terrible culture and self destruct political environment.

TrackBack Link