[squadron]

Mr. Heins (new RIM CEO) says "we are undertaking a comprehensive review of strategic opportunities including partnerships and joint ventures, licensing, and other ways to leverage RIM's assets and maximize value for our stakeholders."

Can you imagine Steve Jobs saying stuff like "maximize value for our shareholders"?

Steve was obsessed with providing a user experience that blew people's minds and designing products that changed the world. And he did, repeatedly.

RIM's leadership has no vision, and so there is no chance they will survive.

[badclient]

Interestingly, I bet there were people saying similar things about Steve Jobs when Apple was going down under and when he returned.

It's easy to hate on anyone by comparing them to someone phenomenally successful. But even Steve Jobs had his share of epic failures. And most certainly, doing things Steve Jobs style is not the only successful way to build a company as your post seems to imply.

[squadron]

My point is that focusing on "maximizing shareholder value" instead of innovation and customer experience is what got RIM in trouble in the first place. It seems no lessons have been learned.

[random42]

"maximizing shareholder value" is the purpose of a public traded company, including Apple.

Jobs did it by out-innovating, out-marketing and other stuff. RIM CEO is trying to do it his way. (which may or may not be successful.)

[phil]

That's code for "we're talking to other companies about what we have that we can sell them."

[justincormack]

The best deal is to sell the enterprise integration bits to Microoft, or the whole company to anyone who wants it, if there is anyone.

[meric]

I would buy it, if the price is low enough (less than or equal to the money I have in my account).

[squadron]

Yeah, it almost sounds like a fire sale.

[andrewpi]

If you look closer, your quote is 'stakeholders', not shareholders. The meaning is a bit different, but perhaps Steve still wouldn't have said it.