How stable business landscapes can be disrupted by emerging models

In 2007 mobile phone maker, Blackberry - the producer of the ubiquitous CEO's must have accessory - was sitting pretty.

Blackberry's share price had risen swiftly from around $4 at the start of the millennium to about $227 pre-recession (July 2007).

Back in 2007, Blackberry commanded a massive 50% of the mobile phone market. The company was a huge success story and it could do no wrong.

The secret of Blackberry's success was that it enabled emails to be pushed to the device, meaning executives could remain away from the office without having to call in for important messages. Pushing email revolutionised business and business loved Blackberry.

Even before the recession hit, Blackberry plummeted on a shock profits warning sending its stock price down by around 70% in just one week. Whilst Blackberry tried to recover its position in the market it proved that it was too little too late. The problem was Blackberry relied too heavily on its email and failed to develop a smartphone...something Apple did with such style.

Apple used a mixture of clever marketing, coupled with an immensely powerful must-have mini-computer, to steal Blackberry's (and Nokia, whilst we are at it) thunder.

Blackberry were branded arrogant because they didn't foresee or plan for the future; a mistake that would eventually cripple the company and leave it in danger of going out of business. Earlier in 2013, Blackberry announced a further 4,500 job losses.

Whilst Apple's furious rise has now cooled somewhat - Samsung is now a strong competitor - it remains innovative and is still an attractive proposition for smartphone owners, businesses and investors alike.

Blackberry's arrogance has led it to an almost certain death as we know it: either to be broken up and sold to realise the value of its intellectual property or absorbed into another mobile maker's portfolio.

Today a rescue bid collapsed with an even further capitulation of Blackberry's share price.

Convention isn't sexy

One of Blackbery's mistakes was that its devices became conventional rather than sought after.

During its heady rise there was a clamour to belong to the Blackberry club, to such and extent that CEO's - even Barack Obama was/is a fan - wanted to be photographed and filmed holding and using them.

Convention affects the landscape industry too

I am seeing a great deal of convention continuing in the landscape industry. However, I am sure, there is a major turning point coming.

I have been busy studying the balance sheets and accounts of some previously perceived leading landscape industry players.

It doesn't make good reading. As the saying goes when a company starts to fail "bad new has already been factored in'.

The next 1-3 years will see some major changes within the landscape industry and will shock those who are unprepared. Even if problems have now been spotted, it's surely too late because some have failed to thwart disruptive business models.