Executive Summary
As a maker of the revolutionary wearable technology, Thalmic Labs wishes to change the way humans interact with computers through the innovative product, the Myo armband. A key problem is that there are too many uses for the Myo, and not a clear link for how gesture control technology can solve major problems for consumers. Users acknowledge that the product has potential, but feel that it is still underdeveloped and indicate that it does not always work. The recommendation is to specialize in the B2B market, so that research and development can be directed to changing the product to solve actual problems for businesses.
Stakeholders to keep in mind are Thalmic employees, investors, retailers, third-party developers and partner organizations. Thalmic operates in a high uncertainty environment, due to the unstable nature of the tech industry, high turnover rates, and a demanding market sector. Thalmic has a collaborative organizational culture, demonstrated through its open concept office. Thalmic has integrated the horizontal coordination model successfully, but there lacks an apparent need for Myo which has a huge impact on sustaining growth.
To implement the recommendation, Thalmic will be switching to a focused differentiation strategy. Thalmic must communicate that B2C sales will continue to exist, in order to satisfy retailers and third-party developers. The company must focus on attracting a new salesforce and better engineering talent so that the R&D required for the recommendation can be completed. Thalmic must switch to a matrix structure, where teams are divided by the different industries that the Myo armband will be sold to. The company should develop stronger ties to existing partners, in order to offer businesses more value through pairing the Myo with other wearable devices. Introduction
Thalmic Labs is currently “making