Daniel Levinthal - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

Is RIM Riding on the Edge?

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:16:47 EST

This fall, Research in Motion (RIM) is launching an armada of new smartphone devices based on its latest BlackBerry operating system in a big bet that it can reverse an ongoing slide in market share. Once so popular among corporate customers that its products were dubbed "CrackBerry" by addicted users, the company has lost significant ground since the launch of Apple's iPhone and Google's Android-based devices. Can it recover? Wharton experts say it's a dangerous period for RIM, but some changes in strategy might help.

With Its New Music Storage and Player, Can Amazon Deliver in the Cloud?

Wed, 11 May 2011 16:38:59 EST

With the new Cloud Drive and Cloud Player, Amazon.com is taking media management virtual, allowing consumers to store and access their music remotely on Amazon's servers ("in the cloud," as it is known) and deliver it on demand to computers, tablets and smartphones. Experts and analysts expect Apple and others to launch competing music-related "locker" services, just as Google did on May 10. Amazon's move, which raises a number of legal questions, is also part of an effort by the company to become more entrenched with consumers, and possibly take on Apple's dominance in digital music sales and tablets.

Can HP's New Leadership Create a Vision for the Future?

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:14:17 EST

New Hewlett-Packard CEO Leo Apotheker and non-executive board chairman Ray Lane take over the reins at the technology giant November 1, and the to-do list is daunting. Apotheker, the former CEO of business software company SAP, will have to convince doubters he is the right leader for HP, do battle with rivals such as IBM, Oracle and Apple, and set the company's long-term strategy. In addition, Apotheker must maintain the efficiency the company enjoyed under former CEO Mark Hurd, while gaining the buy-in from employees that his embattled predecessor reportedly lacked.

Dell's Diversification Strategy: 'A Day Late and a Dollar Short?'

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:07:02 EST

It has been a battle of the balance sheets as rivals Dell and Hewlett-Packard continue to wrangle over who will win the right to acquire 3PAR, a little known data storage company. While the 3PAR bidding war, which HP is expected to win, is part of Dell's ongoing ambition to get a bigger foothold in high-margin enterprise technology services, the $53 billion company has also been chasing consumers with lackluster products. As one expert asks: "Dell sees the need for diversification, but does it see the need for transformation?"

Netflix: One Eye on the Present and Another on the Future

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:19:29 EST

In a year when DVD sales are falling and studios are facing major shakeups in their executive ranks, the movie industry has at least one success story to cheer about: Netflix. Despite the recession, the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company continues to thrive and is now in a race to transition to a business model focused on streaming content online while continuing to exploit its current model based on physical DVD distribution. According to Wharton faculty, Netflix has managed this balancing act deftly so far, but growing competition in digital distribution means that it may not have an advantage for long.

The Disney/Marvel Marriage: Will They Live Happily Ever After?

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:45:37 EST

Trying to picture the edgy, ultra-macho characters of Marvel Comics (like Spider-Man or the Hulk) teaming up with Walt Disney's fairy tale princesses and cheery spokesmouse is not an easy task. Nonetheless, Wharton faculty and entertainment analysts predict Disney's $4 billion acquisition of Marvel will overcome some major challenges and allow the company to instantly enter a key market where, as of now, it has made few inroads.

3D Movies: Adding Depth or Falling Flat?

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:54:21 EST

Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg called the latest 3D movie technology "the greatest innovation to occur in the movie business in 70 years." A bevy of theater chains are exploring or installing digital cinema and 3D systems in the second half of 2008 into 2009. Intel and others are creating tools for companies to make a new generation of 3D animation films. Experts at Wharton say 3D movies are back in vogue, but it's unclear whether the latest greatest technology can give theaters a sustainable competitive advantage over other forms of entertainment.

Short-Circuited: Cutting Jobs as Corporate Strategy

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:37:12 EST

When Circuit City announced last week that it was laying off 3,400 workers so it could rehire new ones at lower salaries, it raised the question of just what strategic benefits the company -- or any company -- expects to achieve through employee downsizing. Clearly these benefits depend on the underlying strength of the organization and the specific reasons behind the cost-cutting, but most experts agree that unless layoffs are part of a well-planned strategy, the move could cause as many problems as it was intended to cure.

A New Tool for Resurrecting an Old Theory of the Firm

Wed, 17 May 2006 15:28:37 EST

It's one of the oldest, most fundamental ideas in management theory: that executives should understand how the many distinct functional components of a firm -- production, distribution, product mix, human resources -- interrelate to achieve the proper fit. In recent years, however, this notion of comprehending the "part-whole" relationship of the firm fell out of favor as thinkers turned to other concepts -- such as relying on core competencies to attain competitive advantage. Now, two professors in Wharton's management department, Daniel A. Levinthal and Nicolaj Siggelkow, say it is time to once again address the part-whole concept. Without this systemic way of looking at companies, the researchers note, firms run the risk of engaging in compartmentalized thinking that can work to their disadvantage. The two scholars have addressed issues related to firm positioning and the part-whole relationship of the firm in a number of papers and articles.

As Sony Gets a Tune-up, Samsung Zooms Ahead

Wed, 19 Oct 2005 16:43:39 EST

In the same month that Sony laid off 10,000 workers amid a restructuring, Samsung announced a memory chip that will double the capacity of digital cameras and music devices, a new line of 50-inch plasma television sets and plans to create a new mobile phone design. The contrast between the two companies is stark. Sony, based in Tokyo, announced on September 22 that it is retooling to better integrate its media and electronics businesses. Meanwhile, Seoul-based Samsung remains focused on a key goal: To become the next Sony.

Sony's Next Act: Will It Play?

Wed, 21 Sep 2005 15:26:48 EST

At the end of the month, Sony CEO Howard Stringer intends to release his grand plan to help the struggling Japanese consumer electronics and media giant regain its past glory. The big question is whether the company - whose sales totaled $66.9 billion in 2004 - has the corporate will to make a comeback. No one denies that Stringer has his work cut out for him. On July 28, the company reported its second consecutive quarterly net loss, a deficit of $66 million for the first quarter ending June 30, and substantially cut its profit outlook for the current fiscal year. Wharton experts and others discuss what caused Sony to stumble and what the company needs to do to get back in the game.

Free Advice from Wharton: Here's What Hewlett-Packard's New CEO Should Do

Tue, 10 May 2005 15:57:04 EST

When it was announced on March 29 that the board of Hewlett-Packard had tapped Mark V. Hurd to be the company's new CEO and president, the most notable part of the deal was Hurd's relative obscurity. But in the weeks and months to come, Hurd will be front and center. His personality may be lower key than that of the flashy Fiorina, but Wharton faculty members say he faces tough strategic decisions that will raise his visibility at a company whose stock has plummeted in value in the last five years. Chief among the decisions facing Hurd: Should H-P, which acquired Compaq Computer in a controversial move by Fiorina in September 2001, be broken up?

Is It time to Give Up on AOL Time Warner?

Wed, 26 Feb 2003 00:00:00 EST

When America Online bought Time Warner for $103.5 billion in January 2001, the plan was to meld new-economy Internet prowess with old-economy content and cutting-edge broadband delivery. The scheme�s designers boasted they would create the world�s largest corporation. Now, just over two years later, AOL Time Warner is a shambles. Was this just bad luck? Was the merger ill-conceived to begin with? And will the company now resort to selling off major assets in an attempt to reduce its enormous debt?

Sony vs. Sony

Wed, 05 Jun 2002 00:00:00 EST

As the recording and electronics industries face off over digital music, one company has had the uniquely uncomfortable position of standing on both sides of the issue: Sony. The only company to own a major music label, a major computer manufacturer and a major consumer electronics business, Sony has been insulted by its own trade associations and has even sued a company that Sony itself had invested in. Wharton professors and others suggest a new business model to help Sony out.

Hewlett-Packard and Compaq: If It Goes Through, Here�s How to Try and Make It Work

Thu, 13 Sep 2001 00:00:00 EST

Faculty members at Wharton who have studied mergers and acquisitions and industry consolidations say Wall Street�s thumbs-down on Hewlett-Packard�s proposed acquisition of Compaq comes as no surprise. Still, if H-P and Compaq proceed with the transaction and receive shareholder and regulatory approval, there still may be additional ways to try to strengthen the new company�s competitive position, say several professors.