Eastman Kodak’s Quest for a Digital Future and Harley-Davidson, Inc., May 2012

Eastman Kodak’s Quest for a Digital Future and Harley-Davidson, Inc., May 2012

Eastman Kodak and Harley-Davidson companies have been prominent figures in the U.S. business world. With new competitors constantly entering the market and offering new innovative products, the companies had to reevaluate their strategies to stay competitive. Kodak and Harley-Davidson must analyze the current environment in order to recognize potential threats and opportunities within their industry.

Synopsis of the Case

Despite the success of both companies, both have endured numerous economic declines. Harley-Davidson is a successful company whose name is recognized around the world for creating legendary motorcycles. Kodak is known for being the best at producing photographs and cameras (Grant, 2013, pg 570). Due to the financial crunch in 2008 both industry leaders were affected by a decrease in profits.

Relevant Factual Information about the Problem or Decision the Organization Faced

Both businesses were experiencing loss in profits and the source was narrowed down to the actual product being marketed. Senior leadership at Kodak realized the need to advance into the digital photography market. Consumers were now in the market for newer technology since the need for traditional photography was rapidly declining (Grant, 2013, pg). Kodak’s failure to keep up with the digital technology trend caused other companies to come into the market and steal business as well. In the case of Harley-Davidson, their product was not substandard but sales were still decreasing since consumers were not spending as much on recreational vehicles. The challenge in this situation was to determine what strategies will increase sales for both groups.

Explanation of Relevant Concepts, Theories and Applications Derived from Course Materials

The financial crisis led both companies to reexamine their products and the way they market them. It is apparent that Kodak and Harley-Davidson have a dedicated customer base, however by expanding their horizons they can increase sales, as well as increase the customer base itself. These two companies were lagging behind their competitors in meeting the demands of the consumers. The best way to meet new demands is to design new products.

Kodak’s issues stemmed from its use of traditional photos as opposed to digital photography. Expanding the opportunity to create digital images using the kiosks located in retail stores, they shifted their focus in creating new software equipment for home use (Grant, 2013, pg 573). Kodak now had a competitive advantage in the photo market. Much like Kodak, Harley-Davidson needed to develop improved motorcycle products and innovations to stay competitive. The final result allowed each customer to have their own personally designed