On The Fifth Anniversary Of Kodak's Bankruptcy, How Can Large Companies Sustain Innovation?

On The Fifth Anniversary Of Kodak's Bankruptcy, How Can Large Companies Sustain Innovation?:

Five years ago today Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This was not only an economic tragedy for one of the great companies of the last century, it was devastating for the city of Rochester, New York, where the company was based. Kodak was once a household brand whose dominance in the photographic film business was unparalleled. The phrase “Kodak moment” came to epitomize the cultural relevance of the brand. At its height, Kodak’s market share of the photographic film market was more than 80% in the U.S. and about 50% globally. It employed over 60,000 citizens of Rochester, the majority of whom became unemployed when the company collapsed.  

Kodak was a juggernaut of a company; but the tragedy of its collapse runs deeper. It is not that the company could not have saved itself by responding to change. The tragedy is that Kodak invented the change that eventually killed it. A Kodak engineer, Steven J. Sasson, invented the first digital camera in 1975. In an interview with the New York Times, Sasson describes how Kodak’s management reacted to negatively his camera because it was filmless photography, instructing him to tell no one about it.

Steven J. Sasson shows his prototype digital camera he built in 1975 (AP Photo/David Duprey)

At that time, Kodak was focused on maintaining the large profits it was making from its sales of photographic film. However, as digital cameras grew in popularity, Kodachrome, the photographic film that was Kodak’s cash cow, was discontinued in 2006 after 74 years of production. It is not that Kodak had failed to imagine a new future. It had failed to capitalize on the imagination and inventiveness of its scientists.

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How Your Business Coach Can Help You Grow Your Business

Your business is doing okay, but you’d like to see it grow and prosper. That doesn’t seem to be happening. If you are wondering what you should do, it’s a place many business owners find themselves. A good place to start is with a business coach, who can help you to grow your business.

A Business Coach Helps You to Navigate Market and Economic Changes

You are very aware that you need to grow your business, but for that to happen and for you to grow you will have to learn more. It’s hard keeping up with changes in the industry, never mind the changes that occurring on a global business scale. Trying to figure out how to improve your role in the mix can be a bit daunting. Business education is now in a new realm with business coaching and business mentoring replacing the more traditional form of consulting, seminars and books. So if you want to get it right it’s time to turn to your business coach.

Business Coaches Can Establish Accountability

Your business coach is going to hold you accountable, to demand you see results and to demand you see a profit. Your business coach is someone who can push you, challenge you, encourage you to think outside the box, and congratulate you when you succeed. It can be a lonely job being the owner and you often don’t have the sounding board that you desire or need. A trained business coach can help you to solve the problems that arise and to turn these situations into opportunities.

Business Coaches Can Offer You a Second Opinion From Another Expert

You need a business coach to demand results and hold you accountable. You need a business coach who can see through the maze and who isn’t blinded by the industry or that fact that there is too much competition. You want a business coach who can keep his or her eye on the prize. That’s a powerful combination for you.

Like your life, running your business can be challenging and there can certainly be ups and down. Sometimes it’s the simplest of things that hang you up and you can’t work your way through it. A business coach cannot only offer you a second opinion, they can be a great sounding board to help you get over your stumbling block.

Why not join the thousands of small businesses that are turning to business coaches for help growing their business.

Issues to address ahead of the reporting season - Crowe Clark Whitehill

Issues to address ahead of the reporting season - Crowe Clark Whitehill: "With many listed companies having a December year end, thoughts will be turning to the Annual Report process and how to evolve it from last year. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) have recently issued a number of documents highlighting areas for improvement. Here are main points you need to consider.

Cutting clutter

As in previous years, the FRC has been keen to remind Boards of the need to cut clutter and focus on the important aspects. Their comments follow the results of a survey to investors, which emphasised the length and accessibility of Annual Reports as an area of concern. To overcome this, Boards should undertake to:

Set the scene – a clear explanation of the business model and strategy should let a reader understand how money is made and where management want to take the business.
Tell the story of the year – focus on the key points and areas of change from last year but also be balanced, discussing the failures as well as the successes.
Consider how the story is told – avoid complex or technical language, summarise information where appropriate and cross-reference to avoid repetition. Be consistent with measures used from year to year.
Give insight – the section on risks and uncertainties should be key and not an afterthought. Well written, it shows a Board that is aware of the risk factors affecting the company and reassures investors that the Board has appropriate mitigation actions in place. For the current year, Boards should consider whether to discuss Brexit risks as part of their disclosure on principal risks."



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Capital Market confidence in an age of uncertainty - Crowe Clark Whitehill

Capital Market confidence in an age of uncertainty - Crowe Clark Whitehill: "Rarely can there have been a period where uncertainty exists in almost every geographic direction, every economic sector and every financial market. The unquantifiable and largely unknown consequences of Brexit, a Trump presidency based on Exceptionalism, and America First, the worsening and seemingly insoluble conflicts in Syria and Libya, the future of the Nuclear deal with Iran, the lack of visibility on the rate of growth and debt levels in China, the South China Sea dispute, the continuing re-emergence of Russia with expansive territorial claims, impeachment in South Korea, returned political instability in Italy and forthcoming elections in France, the Netherlands and Germany – to name just some of the issues – provide an extremely unhelpful backdrop to business prospects and to capital market confidence."



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Pre-Deal Evaluation and Structuring

Understanding the risks and deal breakers before you pursue an investment or acquisition will help to reduce your costs and disruptions. Our experts have the experience and tools to help you make a proper assessment before you invest. 

We understand that when you are making a decision about a potential target timing is crucial.

Pre-Deal Evaluation is an upfront assessment of the financial and business position of a potential target. Once we’ve established that a potential target is suitable, Global Corporate Advisors can help you to structure the acquisition deal strategically, putting you in the best position.

What can we bring to the deal?  

Our services include:

• Identifying the risks in the potential target business and its industry.
• Evaluating the target business’ strengths and weaknesses.
• Assessing the value of your potential investment.
• Developing an optimal deal structure to fund the transaction.
• Assist in developing a growth strategy.
• Assisting in the initial financial model/projection and ongoing advice.

What’s involved?  

Evaluation of a potential target involves assessing the business and its industry from numerous viewpoints. When you understand all the risk areas relating to the business, you can make a confident and informed decision about your investment.

Our Corporate Advisers can provide you with:

•  A detailed assessment of the target business measured against industry benchmarks.
• A detailed evaluation of the risk areas and foreseeable hurdles.
• A detailed strategic plan to help you structure the deal in your favour.
• A methodology to value and bid on the target.

Why Crowe Horwath?  

Our teams throughout the globe are experienced in M&A transactions and dedicated to providing the best advice and strategy quickly and efficiently.  

Independent Expert Reports / Fairness Reports

When preparing Independent Expert Reports/ Fairness Reports, our valuation specialists ensure the reports are prepared on a fundamentally sound basis, with relevant research, analysis and professional care – all in accordance with relevant legislative requirements and securities law. 

Each Independent Expert Report/ Fairness Report we undertake is different. As the fair and reasonableness report progresses, we bring into play the valuation methodologies and techniques that are most relevant to your engagement.

Our Corporate Advisors ensure when they embark on an assignment that there is strict compliance with independence principles (including the broader Crowe Horwath network), so you can be sure that our reports are uncoloured and unbiased. They are also completely confidential.

You will find reports prepared by our teams to be constructed on a fundamentally sound basis. They use relevant research, analysis and professional care in accordance with relevant securities law and legislative requirements.

What can we bring to the process? 

Our Corporate Advisors can provide you with Independent Expert Reports/ Fairness Reports in your local regional (and dependent on legal requirement in that region) for the following situations:

• Takeover transactions
• Schemes of arrangements
• Compulsory acquisitions or buy-outs
• Capital reductions
• Prospectus or Product Disclosure Statement requirements
• Buy-backs
• Related party transaction approval
• Transactions with persons in a position of influence

What’s involved? 

Each Expert Report/Fairness Report we undertake calls on different valuation methodologies and techniques. Our Corporate Advisor professionals apply those that are most relevant to the engagement.

We can assist you with our: 

• Extensive knowledge of the securities laws that govern these transactions
• Research in relation to current economic conditions and comparable transactions and company information
• Reports which are defendable and to the quality expected by the investment community
• Sophisticated research tools which are integral to establishing sound data on which to base our report
• Detailed reviews of all available methodologies and the selection of the most appropriate one for your particular circumstances
• Detailed internal review processes and control procedures

Why Crowe Horwath? 

Our valuation specialists have proven experience and know-how to ensure your report is credible and sound. Our research, analysis and professional care are of the highest levels, and are all in accordance with relevant legislative and securities law requirements.

Vendor Assistance and Due Diligence

It is not your day-to-day business to sell your company, so we assist by staying by your side throughout to ensure a seamless and organised transaction. Although we cannot ensure the success of your sale, we can ensure astute advice and a high level of service. 

Each transaction is different, but our Corporate Advisor professionals have the right skills and expert knowledge to handle every business situation. We provide customised teams of experts to assist you with all the essentials.

What can we bring to the process?

Our Corporate Advisors provides Vendor Assistance and Due Diligence including:

• Vendor Initiated Due Diligence: For vendors, our due diligence reports on potential risks and weaknesses in your business. The report can also be provided to potential buyers for their information.
• Reverse Due Diligence: We perform due diligence on a potential buyer to assess their financing and ability to pay the purchase price.
• Pre Sale Review: We identify the critical topics, risk or issues before the sale process starts.
• Preparation of Pro Forma Financial Statements: Our Statements provide greater confidence, reliability and feasibility, especially for carve-outs.
• Review of Pro Forma Financial Statements: We check plausibility and identify potential adjustments.

Virtual Data Room Management: We organise and structure Data Rooms with modern and secure information platforms, often reducing the length of your due diligence.

Transaction structuring: When it comes to cross-border transactions, we improve the tax structure.

What’s involved?

We take you through each step of the due diligence process.

• At the start we provide you with essential and valuable information regarding your business and your individual selling process.
• We prepare you for the Q&A period.
• We identify and resolve potential risks and bottlenecks early

Why Crowe Horwath?

Crowe Horwath Global Corporate Advisors has the experience and know-how to manage all types of cross-border transactions. Our people are highly-trained to a common quality standard.

advisory overview | Crowe Horwath

advisory overview | Crowe Horwath: "Are you making the best decision for your company’s future?

Many acquisitions fail to live up to expectations. The reasons range from poor deal structure, poor strategic fit, failure to identify problems with the quality of earnings, overly optimistic estimates of synergies, to lack of an integration plan.

Evaluating a company in another country compounds these risks. You are dealing with a different language and cultural barriers; different business ethics, legal systems, filing regulations, and accounting principles; transfer pricing that affects taxation – and often government involvement.

But international deals often provide the best growth opportunities. They can offer improved returns from economies of scale, new target markets for existing products/services, access to commodity materials, and a hedge against seasonality.

Even savvy managements and private equity investors cannot know everything they should to make a deal successful, so they need an experienced international advisor.

Please feel free to contact our office with any questions regarding advisory services."



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risk overview | Crowe Horwath

risk overview | Crowe Horwath: "Are you meeting or exceeding today’s elevated standards for risk management?

As an international business, you manage a challenging array of risks on multiple fronts: strategic, operations, compliance, and reporting. Today’s stakeholders – including shareholders, customers, and employees – expect high standards.

While cultures and customs vary, the language of identifying and monitoring risks is consistent in leading boardrooms and management suites throughout the world. Effective and consistent risk management gives you and your employees the confidence to focus on achieving your organization’s key business objectives.

Along with every risk comes opportunity. Therefore, leading organizations carefully assess and evaluate their portfolio of risks and allocate appropriate resources to identify and manage their key risks more effectively than competitors do. For such organizations, having an effective risk management function is now an essential management discipline.

Please feel free to contact our office with any questions regarding risk consulting services."





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Business Support Services for SMEs in Jamaica

 

We accompany and assist SMEs, today, offering Business Solutions to their immediate needs. 

Therefore, our staff has highly trained professionals in the different areas responding to the particularities of each organization. 
Our services understand and assist all the needs that may be required.

What do we do?

Business Development Services

What we offer?

• Consulting
• External Audit
• Tax advice
• Corporate Consulting
• Audit process and internal control 

We are known for maintaining a close relationship with the customer, ensuring quality care and prompt response to inquiries made. 

The presence in our clients and the personalized attention is our main meter of the satisfaction of the expectations of the clients. 

We intend to execute our work in close connection with our client. From the beginning of our task, the team members will present a proactive and collaborative attitude in order to achieve the best possible quality.

The partners and managers will always be at the disposal of the client's authorities in order to facilitate  any consultation deemed necessary.

Below is a brief overview of the services offered by the area: 

Audit and accounting management

• Financial Statement Audit,
• Review of accounting information for interim periods or specific purposes,
• Analysis of situational status of the company to establish its evolution and projection,
• continuous accounting advice,
• Armed Cash Flow and financial reports,
• Team dedicated to the analysis of systems of accounting management, processing, reliability and specific work related,
• reports financial Statements abroad,
• analysis system internal control for managing resources of each company obtaining its efficiency and managing major control points,
• Survey of jobs,
• Certifications, opinions and accounting reports.

Tax advice

We offer our customers a broad spectrum of possibilities ranging from enrollment in the various Government agencies. 

In the different stages of the life of an organization, as well as in single-person ventures, we are prepared to advise them on the correct application of tax legislation, prevent contingencies and optimize the tax burden in accordance with legal regulations.

Our services are aimed at:
• Assistance in registration procedures of natural and legal persons,
• Review and control compliance with tax obligations, both material and formal,
• Control presentations of affidavits and forms of payment,
• care and / or support in audits and  tax revisions
• Review and / or preparation of the Annual  Income Taxes returns, depending on the specific individual taxpayer,
• Review and / or making annual and / or monthly  taxes returns
• permanent advice on recurring consultations
• Consulting processes and corporate reorganizations,
• • Optimization of the tax burden,

Corporate Advice
• Advice on corporate matters,
• Mergers of companies
• Final review of financial statements
• Preparation of proceedings in general (Treatment of balances, quarterly, powers, modification status and customer support at shareholder meetings)
•  Proof of legal views, general inquiries and follow-up of procedures

Crowe Horwath Jamaica is one of the largest provider of practical accounting, audit, tax, business and financial advice to individuals and businesses from a comprehensive network of five strategic locations.

Regardless of your industry type, size or structure, we have the team to support you. We pride ourselves on employing local and International people who are attuned to the local market and can deliver quality service to our clients.