[rage2021]

RIM to cut 2,000 jobs across operations - CTV News

Really sad, I have a lot of classmates/friends who work there so hope they are not affected. I really hope they can turn it around.

[The_Engine]

Breaking: RIM “Streamlining” Operations, Lays Off 2,000 | TechCrunch

Just saw the same news. Hope they make the right cuts and don't hurt themselves further.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kevinnugent]

This is never good. Bean counters are the only winners.

[_StephenBB81]

RIM to cut 2,000 jobs across operations - CTV News

Really sad, I have a lot of classmates/friends who work there so hope they are not affected. I really hope they can turn it around.

Troubled BlackBerry maker Research In Motion announced Monday morning it will cut about 2,000 jobs from its operations this year.

The Waterloo, Ont.-based company announced last month it was planning to reduce its workforce, but at that time, did not say how many jobs would be lost.

The move comes as RIM also said that chief operating officer Don Morrison will retire after taking a temporary medical leave last month.

I would suspect that the fact they are opening 2 new manufacturing locations we can expect that a portion of these Jobs will be lost across the 3 current manufacturing locations, And we've already seen 200 or so Employee's let go.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[juice1179]

Sometimes when companies grow as fast as RIM did there can be a lot of dead weight in the company. Having said that 2000 jobs is substantial, I think a lot of good people will also be loosing there jobs too, this is unfortunate.

[rage2021]

yeah like 11 % of its workforce..is it just me or were they hiring like crazy a few years ago? I always thought they might be hiring too many people.

[ZMc1834]

This is what happens when you have a stock that was trading at $85+ a year ago and has now dropped to under $30. The company was the king a couple years ago and they could afford to hire people, maybe even people that they didn't need (but who knows if that is true), now they have to cut cost and this is the road most companies take to do so. We have heard the new manufacturing plants opening up away from Waterloo in Malaysia and I can't recall the other location so more than likely these jobs are being relocated to these locations.

[belfastdispatcher]

This is what happens when you have a stock that was trading at $85+ a year ago and has now dropped to under $30. The company was the king a couple years ago and they could afford to hire people, maybe even people that they didn't need (but who knows if that is true), now they have to cut cost and this is the road most companies take to do so. We have heard the new manufacturing plants opening up away from Waterloo in Malaysia and I can't recall the other location so more than likely these jobs are being relocated to these locations.

Rim already has manufacturing plants in Mexico and Hungary and recently they announced they'll open more in Argentina.
This is what happens the factories are moved abroad for cheaper labor, you can't relocate employees. Apple builds their stuff in China, remember?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[01itr]

I think most of these jobs would be manufacturing jobs. This would be logical since they are finding there isn't the need to produce the volume of handsets that they previously anticipated. I wouldn't worry about this in the long-term. As long as they keep most of the intellectual community there, they will still be able to come out with some nice stuff, which will turn the company around.

The technology industry is extremely volatile, never count a company out until they are gone.

Apple lays off thousands - CNET News

[ZMc1834]

Rim already has manufacturing plants in Mexico and Hungary and recently they announced they'll open more in Argentina.
This is what happens the factories are moved abroad for cheaper labor, you can't relocate employees. Apple builds their stuff in China, remember?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

That's is what I meant by relocating. I didn't mean that they are relocating their employees, but that they are relocating their facilities.

[johncihak]

And the downward spiral continues:
- lose market share
- lay off employees
- continue stagnation
- lose market share
- lay off employees
- sell to HP and nobody notices

[nomoredroid]

poor poor management


This is why we havent seen the bold touch released yet. They cut their supply chain groups!!! LOL....nobody to ship them

[lnichols]

Its sad to see that it looks like management is just taking on expanded rolls. Good Ole boys networking. Hopefully the people affected are able to find new jobs quickly.

[Economist101]

The technology industry is extremely volatile, never count a company out until they are gone.

Apple lays off thousands - CNET News

The difference between the current RIM layoffs and those 1997 Apple layoffs is that Apple also fired Gil Amelio, the chief executive. So while it's true you can't count a company out until they are gone, keeping the same management that put the company into a hole in the first place doesn't instill much confidence.

[anon(4018671)]

This is part of what Jim said at the AGM. Its part of their cost optimization effort which he said would last a few more weeks. He says (I just listened to it again) that these cuts will NOT significantly affect areas that relate to the future of RIM. Not exactly sure what areas that means but less of the "old" RIM to be sure.

If you want to listen to what he says see below at ~22:15 minute mark

Lobby

[jr4941]

From the globeandmail:

In addition to the layoffs, RIM also announced a series of changes to its executive structure. For the most part, the changes entail giving a number of senior executives – although not co-CEOS Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie – more responsibilities. Chief operating officer (product and sales) Thorsten Heins will oversee all product engineering functions at the company. Chief information officer Robin Bienfait will also take on responsibility for the business enterprise unit. Chief operating officer (operations) Jim Rowan and chief financial officer Brian Bidulka will oversee the cost-cutting program.

Separately, RIM announced that chief operations (BlackBerry) Don Morrison is planning to retire.

RIM to cut about 2,000 jobs - The Globe and Mail

[Mrluky]

this is what happened to polaroid.they lived the good life until all the other companys caught up and blew past them. then they scrambeled and they could not fight them off. look for rim to be bought out by one of its competitors that they had a big lead over in the cell phone world

[1812dave]

This is what happens when you have a stock that was trading at $85+ a year ago and has now dropped to under $30. The company was the king a couple years ago and they could afford to hire people, maybe even people that they didn't need (but who knows if that is true), now they have to cut cost and this is the road most companies take to do so. We have heard the new manufacturing plants opening up away from Waterloo in Malaysia and I can't recall the other location so more than likely these jobs are being relocated to these locations.

this is what happens when you don't make handsets that people prefer over Androids and iPhones...

This is what happens when the co-CEOS haven't been replaced as needed.

[olblueyez]

That's what happens when you buy stuff based on BS marketing instead of taking the time to find out who they are supporting. "My phone has a bigger processor and I completely ignored where it was made or what it means to Blackberry".

The "Me Generation" strikes again.

If all the original Storm's were made in Canada and the original iphone was made in China and everyone bought the Storm because of that, do you think Apple would continue to make them using laborers who are not American and have no rights?

Think your cool because your phone is dual core? I looked at a dual core motorola and it was the same old crap, lousy software on a decent piece of hardware. Just like the Moto Q9h I had, and it got 2 software updates, just two!!! And the Q is still hobbled by sofware bugs.

My 9000, gets better all the time. Meanwhile the pod people get new hardware every year and every year they start all over again with the "waiting for software fixes" BS and sometimes those fixes never materialize.

[avt123]

My 9000, gets better all the time. Meanwhile the pod people get new hardware every year and every year they start all over again with the "waiting for software fixes" BS and sometimes those fixes never materialize.

Pod people? I have not once waited for a software fix on my iPhone. I am running iOS 5 beta 4 and it runs better than any stock software that my BBs had. Come to think of it, when I had my 9000 I was always installing the latest leaked OS hoping it would fix one bug, but then it would go ahead and have another.

[1812dave]

My 9000, gets better all the time. .

My Storm 2 gets worse all the time. I will NEVER buy a lame-*** BB again.

[Economist101]

If all the original Storm's were made in Canada and the original iphone was made in China and everyone bought the Storm because of that, do you think Apple would continue to make them using laborers who are not American and have no rights?

"Ifs" are irrelevant. I could just as easily claim that if the Storm had been an exceptional product it would've sold a lot more. But it wasn't, so it didn't.

[berklon]

That's what happens when you buy stuff based on BS marketing instead of taking the time to find out who they are supporting. "My phone has a bigger processor and I completely ignored where it was made or what it means to Blackberry".

The "Me Generation" strikes again.

If all the original Storm's were made in Canada and the original iphone was made in China and everyone bought the Storm because of that, do you think Apple would continue to make them using laborers who are not American and have no rights?

Think your cool because your phone is dual core? I looked at a dual core motorola and it was the same old crap, lousy software on a decent piece of hardware. Just like the Moto Q9h I had, and it got 2 software updates, just two!!! And the Q is still hobbled by sofware bugs.

My 9000, gets better all the time. Meanwhile the pod people get new hardware every year and every year they start all over again with the "waiting for software fixes" BS and sometimes those fixes never materialize.

You can blame the consumers all you want, but you know the saying "the customer is always right". RIM knew the score and saw what customers want... whether it's a quality product, or just marketing BS... it was laid out right in front of them. It's RIM's job to adapt to what consumers respond to - and they failed to do so and are left scrambling.

Personally, I don't like Apple products and don't fall into the hype. But RIM has no-one to blame but themselves. Basically it's put up or STFU for them.

[01itr]

Remember the cheers and backing the "open letter" got when it suggested this:

RIM has a lot of people who underperform but still stay in their roles. No one is accountable. Where is the guy responsible for the 9530 software? Still with us, still running some important software initiative. We will never achieve excellence with this culture. Just because someone may have been a loyal RIM employee for 7 years, it doesn’t mean they are the best Manager / Director / VP for that role. It’s time to change the culture to deliver or move on and get out. We have far too many people in critical roles that fit this description. I can hear the cheers of my fellow employees now.

Looks like RIM is doing it now. But of course people will still whine and complain... I feel bad for RIM. Give them a chance. What do you people think happens at RIM? Mike just sits on his golden throne smoking cigars rolled with $100 bills? He created this company from nothing, and you can bet that he is doing all he can to turn it around.

Changing the CEOs would be a mistake. No one would have the same drive and ambition as Mike and Jim.

[brucep1]

Remember the cheers and backing the "open letter" got when it suggested this:



Looks like RIM is doing it now. But of course people will still whine and complain... I feel bad for RIM. Give them a chance. What do you people think happens at RIM? Mike just sits on his golden throne smoking cigars rolled with $100 bills? He created this company from nothing, and you can bet that he is doing all he can to turn it around.

Changing the CEOs would be a mistake. No one would have the same drive and ambition as Mike and Jim.

I agree with only one thing from this post. Mike created this company from nothing. That's it. Moving forward, it is obvious that he has lost his handle on the consumer market, and if RIM's idea is to recapture the consumer market, then it's time for a change up top.