Kodak’s Downfall
Wasn’t About
Technology
ULA 2
Vasudev Bajaj
2023020452
25 April, 2025
OVERVIEW
1975
Invented the first digital
camera
Early 2000s
Competition increased in
Early stages
Kodak was the leading organization in
photography and cameras.
The company invented the first ever digital
camera in 1975.
Common beliefs
Most people believe that the company’s
downfall was due to technological disruption.
the market
Reality
2012
Kodak files for
Bankruptcy
The real reason behind the company’s
downfall was a lack of proper vision and
structural adaptation.
KODAK’S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Rigid and
Hierarchical
Siloed
Departments
Film-Centric
Focus
Limited
Adaptability
The organization's hierarchical
top-down structure limited
innovation within the
organization; the power held by
senior leaders focused solely on
the film business.
Departments within the
organization operated
independently; employees had no
cross-communication between
departments. This further reduced
innovation and diminished the
organization's influence in the film
industry.
The organization's main focus was
on films, and they viewed digital
initiatives more as a threat than as
an opportunity to capitalize on.
The internal structure resisted
innovation and adaptability of the
organization to the new
technologies; this further made the
organization inflexible to adapt to
the changes.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Organizational
Structure Matters
Reality behind the
downfall of Kodak
Adaptaibility is
important
Future lessons
The structure of the
The organization had great
The organization relied too
Building a strong
organization shapes how it
technologies but lacked the
much on its history, and the
organizational structure
operates, reacts to changes,
structure to adapt to the
leaders within the
plays a huge role in the
and adapts to technological
changes; this caused the
organization resisted
success of the organization;
innovations. This is crucial
company to go into
change. This lack of
building flexible structures
for maintaining long-term
bankruptcy and fail in the
adaptability became the
allows the organization to
relevance in the market.
long run.
main concern and a primary
adapt to the changes quickly
reason for the downfall.
and stay relevant with the
market.
Thank you!
Vasudev Bajaj (2023020452)
Yorkville University
25 April, 2025
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