change

Kodak established itself as a brand leader in photographic equipment in the 1930 's . Due to poor product line expansion and a refusal to update its management techniques , Kodak found that Fuji was taking over the photographic industry by 1980 . In response , they hired Colby Chandler to take over and revitalize Kodak 's corporate structure in 1983 . He took over a company that had once been the only choice for photographic equipment , but now was no longer able to compete due to the significant foothold of the Japanese in the industry . By dividing

the company into separate divisions and updating its management techniques Chandler was able to regain a significant place in the photographic industry

Kodak had begun as a simple , one-division company . Chandler split it up into four divisions : imaging , information systems , health products and chemicals . In to ensure Kodak 's place in the imaging world , he bought up photo-finishing companies so that Kodak could supply the chemicals and the to be used to create photographs . The different departments were able to compete separately for different purposes

Chandler recognized that Kodak 's management was a problem . He discovered that the current managers used outdated techniques , and that the different departments did not communicate effectively with one another . In 1990 , Chandler decided that a corporate restructuring was in . He downsized management , then eliminated Kodak 's lifetime seniority policy in to get rid of ineffective employees and bring in new blood . He encouraged a division of labor that would allow for new , innovative ideas that wouldn 't take too long to be approved . In the end , he took a risk-taking approach to businesses that put Kodak once again on top of the photographic industry

Works Cited

History of Kodak . Retrieved January 18 , 2007 , from Kodak Web site http /www .kodak .com /US /en /corp /kodakHistory /1930_1959 .shtml...