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Essay about Kodak & Fujifilm

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Eastman Kodak and Fujifilm Sandra Greene BUS 302 Professor Cheryl J. Johnson 2 Feb, 2013 Eastman Kodak and Fujifilm 1. Describe the history and core business of each company. Kodak was considered the Google of its day. It was founded in 1880 and known for its pioneering technology and innovative marketing. “You press the button, we do the rest,” was its slogan in 1888. By 1976 Kodak accounted for 90% of film and 85% of camera sales in America. Until the 1990s it was regularly rated one of the world's five most valuable brands (The Last Kodak Moment, 2012). The business was built based on four principles; mass production at low cost, international distribution, extensive …show more content…

Fujifilm, on the other hand, set goals and implemented them. One goal was to penetrate the U.S. market and make a major impact. They succeeded. When they realized that there was a move towards digital, they prepared for it and then acquired new business lines. The developed a cosmetics line, they found new outlets for its film expertise (in one sort of film they have 100% market share). They slashed costs and jobs and spent millions on a mass reconstruction. The 60% of profits they loss from film was replaced with new revenue. They “embrace change and diversity to become a more effective force for a better future” (Fujifilm) (The Last Kodak Moment, 2012). Our Commitment 4. Evaluate each company’s approach to ethics and social responsibility and the impact those approaches have had on each company’s profitability. “Kodak’s case study tells the story of a long-standing company with a reputation for social responsibility earned through its community activities, its implied commitment to lifetime employment, and its high-wage and comprehensive fringe benefit policies” (Kochan, 1999). However, as their market position declined in market there was an increased need to focus on costs. One way to do this was a long and slow process of layoffs which obliterated employee trust. In the end they realized that their old belief that a socially responsible employer guaranteed jobs for life was no longer

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