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The reasons behind Kodak’s demise

18 April 2012

The article at a glance

Researcher at Cambridge Judge Business School shares his findings into Kodak’s downfall Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge …

Researcher at Cambridge Judge Business School shares his findings into Kodak’s downfall

Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, will be talking about his research on the American company, Eastman Kodak, and the reasons for its demise, as part of the Arcadia Project Seminar Series.

Taking place on 18 April at the University Library in Cambridge, Dr Munir’s talk entitled “Kodak and the Creation of Popular Photography: Explaining the Life and Death of an Icon” will focus on Kodak’s recent bankruptcy and why the company was unable to adapt to the new digital world.

Dr Munir commented:

With Kodak’s recent bankruptcy, a spectacular chapter in the history of photography has come to an end. However, contrary to most analyses that have been published, Kodak’s demise was not caused by arrogance, ignorance or lack of technology or resources. Rather it was Kodak’s inability to come out of a world that it had created itself that proved to be its undoing.”

Dr Munir has been teaching at Cambridge Judge Business School since 2000. His research focuses on social change and stability, as well as innovation and technological shifts in society. Apart from publishing in leading academic journals, he is also a frequent contributor to newspapers and magazines, including the Financial Times, the Guardian, Dawn and Business Week. Dr Munir has also been a consultant to private and public sector organisations, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Government of Pakistan and Shell Petroleum, among many others.