How MBA-Style Leadership Killed Sony

[cross22]

Interesting story for those who are interested in strategy and competition today.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhar...a-style-leadership-killed-once-great-company/

 

[ter1413]

...

 

[Lord-Barrington]

This is an issue basically every east asian manufacturer has dealt with over the last several decades. These companies have always been amazing at producing but very mediocre at innovating. I don't think Sony is any different in that regard than many other manufacturing companies that have gone through difficult times. The big difference with them is that companies like Samsung and LG refocused on their marketing and improving their products on time, as well as reimagining their supply chain.

Remember, all of the product innovations at Apple, which writers such as this guy always seem to have a boner over, would have never happened if they hadn't completely changed their supply chain beforehand because the money wouldn't have been there in the first place.

 

[Dashaansafin]

You read articles on forbes?

"Japanese equity laws are very different that the USA. Companies often have much higher debt levels. And companies can even operate with negative equity values – which would be technical bankruptcy almost everywhere else. So it is not likely Sony will fill bankruptcy any time soon, if ever."

What is this I dont even. Negative EQ value? This negative EQ value = bankruptcy? Man...I thought there was a standard of thought to journalism.

 

[Journeyman]



This is an issue basically every east asian manufacturer has dealt with over the last several decades. These companies have always been amazing at producing but very mediocre at innovating. I don't think Sony is any different in that regard than many other manufacturing companies that have gone through difficult times. The big difference with them is that companies like Samsung and LG refocused on their marketing and improving their products on time, as well as reimagining their supply chain.
Remember, all of the product innovations at Apple, which writers such as this guy always seem to have a boner over, would have never happened if they hadn't completely changed their supply chain beforehand because the money wouldn't have been there in the first place.

Sony? Not good at innovating? Seriously?

I realise that they have done poorly of late, but they were a powerhouse in the 1980s and 1990s for a very good reason - they made fantastic, innovative, high-quality products. Why else was "Walkman" a byword for portable music players for so long, in the same way that iPod now is?

Unfortunately, it seems that Sony became more of a music and film company than a tech company and thus was more interested in attempting to protect its music catalogue than to develop technology to play music and films and thus it got left a long way behind when MP3 players - such as the iPod - really started to take off. Let's just hope that it doesn't end up like Kodak.

 

[javyn]

Has anyone actually tried to use a Sony product lately, not counting PS3?

I think they really hate their customers. Even something as simple as a digital voice recorder requires jumping through hoops to use properly.

Dear Sony....don't bundle your devices with proprietary software that doesn't even work.

 

[Douglas]

It's an interesting article, thanks for posting.

While it does raise some interesting points, I think I disagree with a number of assertions, and I think that the particular narrative the author has decided to place this in is a little bit of a stretch.

Ultimately, from a practical perspective, the overall lesson is that you have to innovate at some level or another, and I think that's a valid point.

 

[Joffrey]

He lost the plot asserting Sony always focused on scale/cost reduction and not innovation when he started the article pinpointing Sony's innovations. He failed to adequately explain that their problem was failing to produce any killer aps in the past 15-20 years (apart from the Playstation I guess). Ipad/tablets, Iphone/smartphones, Ipod were all pioneered by other companies. Yes, Sony was involved but never lead. You look at all the quirky electronics being announced these days, and Sony is rarely mentioned (not to say other major manufacturers are). Now flat screen TVs have been commoditized.

I think a solution (if they have the cash I guess) would be to start trying to buy up young, exciting tech companies to gain access to their new ideas.