Forbes: How Sony Should Respond to a Disruptive Attack (PS3 vs. Wii)

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Willem said:

"How can Sony re-shape its organization, culture and product development approach in order to be more flexible, customer-centric and innovative in a rapidly-shifting market?"

The problem with customer-centric development is that you're one or two steps behind most of the time.
Quite often customers don't know what they want or can't make up their minds, until they see something (or someone else with it) and then they want it (too).
Therefor, you got to keep ahead all of the time otherwise you'll loose.

Now, you can get flexible, ( even large companies can ), but if you have a strong vision about where to go and where revenues and profits can be made, you need to hold on to it, otherwise you'll be going nowhere.

I dont think Sony needs to re-shape anything, they've proven right with the PS2, and eventually, they'll prove right with the PS3, cause the product will sell for the coming 15 years.
Even when HD screens become mainstream, the SP3 will meet that customer-driven HD content.

Are you guys serious with this stuff? I thought it was a rediculous saying at 10 years...but 15 now? Even the glorious PS2 has only been out for 7 years and its sales have already started to wane a little, that winding down is only going to speed up as this console race solidifies itself more and more and PS2 sales will probably be negligable at the end of 2 years from now.

But just because the PS2 goes on to survive 9 years does not in any way mean the PS3 will do the same. The PS2's continued success is due ONLY to its runaway success during the early and middle portions of its generation. Sales don't just magically continue because the console has a Sony logo.

 

PS - Part of a company having good "vision" is realizing when the vision they are pursuing is a bad idea. I wouldn't go so far as to say that is the case with the PS3, but I think even the staunchest fanboy has to recognize there are alot of things they could of done differently.

 

Edit:

@Dallas, 

I am not even sure that a $300 price tag would get many casuals to be honest. I think the reason the Wii sells to the casuals is the remote.  I would actually say that for most casuals a $250 price tag is still something they aren't comfortable with, but for something unique they seem to be willing to splurge. I don't know if a PS3 would have that same appeal to them, and before someone has to jump on the "omg blu-ray is teh FUTURE!!1!!11!" issue, you have to realize that most of these casuals 1) have no clue what it is, 2) don't have HD TVs, 3) probably don't care...they are casuals afterall. I could add a few anecdotes to support the claim but honestly they have no validity for practical debate.