Description
Eastman Kodak is often remembered as the company that “missed digital photography.” But that story is too simple.
In this episode, we unpack Kodak’s collapse through the lens of service ecosystem strategy and servitization. Despite inventing the first digital camera and leading U.S. digital camera sales in the 2000s, Kodak failed to realign its business model with how value was actually shifting in the digital age. Rather than embracing platforms, social sharing, and services, Kodak doubled down on a print-centric ecosystem logic, using digital tools to protect an analog revenue model.
We explore how Kodak’s service ecosystem—once its greatest strength—became a strategic trap, why its early move into online photo services (Ofoto) fell short. The episode offers a cautionary lesson for incumbents: digital transformation fails when technology changes but the service ecosystem logic does not.
Key words
Kodak, Digital Transformation, Business Ecosystems, Servitization, Platform Strategy, Innovation Failure, Disruptive Technology, Ofoto, Strategy & Leadership
