BlackBerry maker Research in Motion will cut its workforce by 10% as it continues to struggle against competition from Apple and Google, especially in the new area of tablets where sales of the PlayBook have been underwhelming.
The company announced yesterday 2,000 employees will be laid off as part of a cost savings program.
“The workforce reduction is believed to be a prudent and necessary step for the long term success of the company and it follows an extended period of rapid growth within the company whereby the workforce had nearly quadrupled in the last five years alone,” the company said in a statement.
The troubled manufacturer also announced some management changes, with Thorsten Heins to take on the role of chief operating officer of product and sales, who will see over the hardware and software teams.
Patrick Spence will also be the new managing director of global sales and regional marketing.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
