Kodak Case Analysis

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Recommended: Critically evaluate Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs

Introduction Kodak, a world renowned photography company created in the late 1880s, had it share of woes (Bolman & Deal, 2008). According to Bolman and Deal (2008), one hundred years after the company’s creation, Kodak was in trouble due to high prices, low customer approval and low employee morale. Chandler, Kodak’s CEO, dramatically destroyed a wooden podium with a large blade to demonstrate that the company needed to fundamentally change its operation (Bolman & Deal, 2008). One of the changes made at Kodak was the restructuring of its black and white film department (Bolman & Deal, 2008). The black and white department created streams or sections to support and serve the department (Bolman & Deal, 2008). According to Bolman and Deal …show more content…

Several basic human resources were may have been in the Kodak’s company leadership; however, build and implement and HR strategy and empower them stood out from the rest (Bolman & Deal, 2008). Bolman and Deal (2008), suggested that many companies deficiency is that they do not have a philosophy that provides direction and guidance. Not until the CEO of Kodak, Chandler, outwardly demonstrated what it would take to prolong the company by “[wielding] a machete, the philosophy was not clear on how to repair the company’s problem (Bolman & Deal, 2008, p. 94). Under Chandler’s leadership, employees created a systematic approach to solve Kodak’s problem (Bolman & Deal, …show more content…

Albeit Kodak’s strategy to empower their employees improved productivity, Kodak’s strategy missed was lacking when it came to Maslow’s basic needs theory (Bolman & Deal, 2008). Bolman and Deal (2008) defined Maslow’s theory for basic needs such as, “basic safety...desire for respect, and a sense of accomplishment “(p. 122). After the success of the company, it was not reported that Kodak continued to hire, keep and invest quality workers to prolong the progress of the company (Bolman & Deal, 2008). Bolman and Deal (2008) reported that by hiring the right people, big name organizations became superior due to having the right staff. However, it is not enough just to hire the right staff, investing and keeping them is also vital to any company’s success (Bolman & Deal, 2008). According to Bolman and Deal (2008), in order to maintain the workforce, organizations need to protect employees’ jobs, promote employees’ within the company and give employees ownership within the company. Investing in employees meets the core basic needs theory which in return attracts better motivated workers to do an excellent work (Bolman & Deal, 2008). Bolman and Deal (2008) implied that this basic needs

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