Change management -Steuben Story

Could anyone in command at Steuben have  anticipated the death? One could have when the revenue dipped steadily . The decline in demand for such pricey and  expensive crystal ware was evident but it did not occur to Steuben’s founder and designer Frederick Carder that the tides were  turning He was a person with most exquisite creations in the ranks of Louis Comfort Tiffany and Rene Lalique. Carder and Tiffany were associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic and Rene Lalique who was the famous French glass designer known for his artful creations. 

World’s  most brilliant and creative brains were involved with Steuben’s creation. Steuben items were priced at thousands of dollars and were positioned to cater to the super rich and famous. The brand had partnered with designer Ted Muehling to create unique crystal glassware. The brand's success and all this name and fame, could not save the company from death as there was neither any attempt to increase in the sales and add of new consumers nor generate more sales even from loyal established collectors segment. 

Steuben was victim of obsession with past laurel, status quo mindset and being in comfort zone. Steuben management did not think of changing in line with changing consumer tastes. The preference of new generation had shifted to mobile phones and video game consoles, iPad and other utility electronic items than expensive crystal ware that sits on the drawing room showcase. 

The sentiment echoed in the words of one of the Steuben’s main dealers, reveals all about the reasons as to why Steuben’s demise was inevitable. "They totally lost their way. If the design department is pathetic, the costs are prohibitive, and the marketing vision for the future is not successful, then you're doomed whether you're making Steuben glass or Twinkies”. Sentiments apart, the economic scene also did not make life easy for Steuben’s recovery. Steuben is classic case of business that is attempting to survive purely on past glory and not willing to change. 

The point is how a timely step to change and escape from pull of past to the future could have averted the brand’s death that had its unique position in the world. Transformational leadership mind set is sine qua non for Organizational existence.
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