Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the importance of change management in the company. The business suffers at the moment, and many employees are reluctant to accept changes. Primary objectives of the process and approaches that should be used will be listed and discussed.
Introduction
BlackBerry Limited is a company focused on the development and promotion of the equipment related to telecommunication. It is mostly known for its high-quality smartphones and tablet computers. The business has been quite successful for many years, but sales have started to drop since 2011 because the manufacturer has failed to adapt to the market, and was not prepared for the introduction of disruptive technologies.
Rationale
The case is vital because it highlights the fact that even the most successful companies may have to deal with numerous issues if they do not acknowledge the importance of change management, and do not keep track of latest trends in the industry. The analysis of the situation in the company would help to get a better understanding of possible techniques that can be used. Creative approach will be required because losses are enormous, and it is not an easy task to retain customers.
Discussion
John S. Chen is a current CEO, and he is not satisfied with the division. He has proven to be an outstanding professional and was assigned to the position in 2013 because the board of directors understood that changes are required. He has restructured most of the divisions and believes that the enterprise has enormous potential (Chen, 2013). Thorstein Heins, the previous CEO has made several critical mistakes.
He was too confident in the strengths of the platform, and it has led to severe consequences (Jacobides, 2013). Chen’s decision to use Android operating system was intriguing. It is quite evident that the difference in the number of applications is enormous, and it is an aspect valued by many customers. However, the problem is that the devices have lost their uniqueness as the result, and the market is incredibly competitive and crowded at the moment.
Recommendations
The first objective is to establish a department that would be focused on emerging technologies. The knowledge and skills of the employees will be assessed, and it may be necessary to conduct a training needs analysis. It is understandable that many workers would be dissatisfied with such changes, but it is reasonable to schedule several meetings to discuss the importance of the research. One of the most significant problems that should not be overlooked is that the company did not take preferences of the customers into account. It was too focused on the target market and did not understand that they could be influenced by external factors.
Employees need to change their mindset, and it would be beneficial to establish an environment where they can share the ideas and voice their opinions. It is clear that most clients are no longer interested in the physical keyboard, and it is not possible to rely on the name of the brand. However, it would be appropriate to have it as an option. The biggest problem is that both internal and external stakeholders are not sure about the future of the company. A set of approaches should be considered to improve creativity in the workplace, and change the atmosphere in the firm (Gleeson, 2013).
Conclusion
In summary, it is possible to state that the enterprise is slowly recovering, but numerous changes are still required. The focus on change management activities should help the business overall, and the use of innovative technologies is crucial in this case. BlackBerry has many advantages, and some of the applications need to be improved slightly. However, the most attention should be devoted to the design of the devices and hardware.
References
Chen, J. (2013). BlackBerry: The way forward. CNBC. Web.
Gleeson, D. (2013). Blackberry faces more uncertainty with change in management. Web.
Jacobides, M. (2013). BlackBerry forgot to manage the ecosystem. Business Strategy Review, 24(4), 8.