SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

• Continually delivering award-winning products.
• Products that attract the attention of both consumers and business professionals.
• Accumulated a wide range of product design and innovation awards.
• Top 10 Products of the Past 40 Years.
• One of the only trusted phones for the business-class mobile e-mail.
• Source code is one of their few technical assets which is highly protected and is a key role in the success of the company.
• Company culture has contributed towards a lower turnover rate compared to larger companies, and more happy employees.
• CO-OP program with the University of Waterloo.
  

Weaknesses:

• Running out of space to expand R&D department.
• Remaining centered in Waterloo is what made them able to have the type of company culture that they do.
• Current culture may not necessarily be maintained if there is an expansion outside of Waterloo, and they no longer have full control.
• Limited amount of physical space at RIM’s Waterloo campus. [Is this a weakness or threat?]

Opportunities:

• R&D talent is getting increasingly sparse.
• Economic situation: many smaller firms and technology start ups are struggling financially.
• Analysts predict an immense opportunity for smart phones starting in 2008-2009, which shipments reaching the billions by 2012.
  

Threats:

• Explosive growth and increased competition on the R&D team to develop new solutions in the global smartphone market place.
• In 2007 Symbian’s operating system designed for mobile devices held an estimated 65% worldwide share of the converged devices, shipping 77.3 smartphones in 2007, while RIM Blackberry OS at 11%
• RIM led in North America with 42% of shipments.
• Apple announced that it would be pursuing the business segment, as Microsoft and Google were also both trying.
• Competition for employees is very competitive in the global software development industry.
• Current employees being threatened by products being build elsewhere, afraid to lose control.
• Key competitors have already expanded globally.
• Source code loss, software piracy, product imitations are more common in developing countries where IP protection laws (or enforcement) lagged the United States or Canada.