“According to sources close to the situation, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is likely to unveil his plans to restructure the tech giant to a larger group of senior execs by July 1,” Kara Swisher reports for AllThingsD.
“That prospect has many top managers at the company worried, since Ballmer has been making these significant plans with limited consultation with the wider leadership group at the software giant,” Swisher reports. “Instead, he has been working with only a small group of his direct reports and also some Microsoft board members, numerous sources said.”
Swisher reports, “That has meant that most senior execs have largely been left out of the decision-making process related to Ballmer’s goal of solidifying Microsoft into the ‘devices and services company,’ that he wrote about in his annual shareholder letter last October. The impending changes — and the lack of information about them — has made for some level of discomfort inside Microsoft, where many high-ranking managers have been at the company for a very long time.
‘It feels like it is going to be titanic — that Steve is doing this change for his legacy’ said one person close to the situation. ‘And it’s the first time in a long time that it feels like that there will be some major shifts, including some departures.'”
Pray that this also includes a new, fresh, version of The Monkey Dance. I feel as though lately Ballmer’s natural exuberance for Microsoft has been stifled by someone at much loss to the entire YouTube world. Turn him loose to do what he does best—sweating, dancing, screaming and loving this company!
Steve Ballmer is not even remotely likable! The PC age is giving way to portable mobile devices. Microsoft is doomed! At least Gates was remotely likable. Ballmer is, well, Ballmer! ByeBye Microsoft!
Agreed. My opinion of Gates has softened of late. He may have copied the Mac OS, but only after unsuccessfully trying to convince Apple to license it out.
Gates’s mistake of giving Apple first bite was eclipsed only by Apple’s mistake of rejecting him!
‘Gates mistake of giving Apple first bite’? What of? The opportunity to flog their OS system on his terms? I would guess he would have stitched them up the same way he did the poor mug he ‘bought’ DOS from as he fooled IBM the company he sold it to. Not sure Apple would be in its present position if that offer ‘you cant confused’ was taken up.
Apple would have become the industry leader instead of Microsoft, and wouldn’t have had its near-death experience. It’s only through the grace of Jobs that Apple is surviving and thriving today, and that was never a given.
“…Ballmer’s goal of solidifying Microsoft into the ‘devices and services company,’…”
The S.S. Microsoft is going from the Titanic analogy of rearrangement of deck chairs to the new and doubt much improved, S. S. Microsoft the Lusitania carrying contraband cargo that end the end will go BOOM with great loss to many!
Corporate America operates on the idea that ONLY the suits matter and everyone else is simply and easily replaceable worker. Problem is, someone has to actually do the work. And when you treat people like they are nothing to you, that is the kind of performance you get from them.
Steve Ballmer’s legacy is going to be business school case studies about how a sales person put in charge of a tech company can not learn how to run a tech company by being the head of the tech company.
Everyone here is laughing at Steve Ballmer but creating a ‘devices and services company,’ has a familiar ring to Apple’s success based on the hardware and software coupling over the years, which has evolved to the “ecosystem” concept in the parlance of our times.
If Ballmer can bring this strategy together remake Microsoft into a devices and services company, build a time machine, move the Apple iceberg out of the way so that the Titanic will come safely to port, then Apple will be uh, was doomed.
glug…glug…glug
These large ships sure take a long time to submerge.
I prefer the Hindenburg analogy.
I’d say “Oh, the humanity..” but there would have to be humans involved.
I hope they don’t apply at Apple.
Those deck chairs will soon be a-flyin’ from one end of the ship to the other.
Pray that this also includes a new, fresh, version of The Monkey Dance. I feel as though lately Ballmer’s natural exuberance for Microsoft has been stifled by someone at much loss to the entire YouTube world. Turn him loose to do what he does best—sweating, dancing, screaming and loving this company!
Steve Ballmer is not even remotely likable! The PC age is giving way to portable mobile devices. Microsoft is doomed! At least Gates was remotely likable. Ballmer is, well, Ballmer! ByeBye Microsoft!
Agreed. My opinion of Gates has softened of late. He may have copied the Mac OS, but only after unsuccessfully trying to convince Apple to license it out.
Gates’s mistake of giving Apple first bite was eclipsed only by Apple’s mistake of rejecting him!
‘Gates mistake of giving Apple first bite’? What of? The opportunity to flog their OS system on his terms? I would guess he would have stitched them up the same way he did the poor mug he ‘bought’ DOS from as he fooled IBM the company he sold it to. Not sure Apple would be in its present position if that offer ‘you cant confused’ was taken up.
Apple would have become the industry leader instead of Microsoft, and wouldn’t have had its near-death experience. It’s only through the grace of Jobs that Apple is surviving and thriving today, and that was never a given.
A disaster of Microzunian proportions!.
And I can’t believe they actually use “titanic” in the description. “The wow starts now.” Methinks.
The “bow-wow” starts now. A total dog of a company.
Reorganizing (or throwing) chairs doesn’t solve the problems of the guy who’s doing the moving.
lol – best headline in a long time 🙂
Best MDN Take, also.
Steve Ballmer…oh, my god!
I love this guy…can anyone destroy a large company microsoft is in only few years?
Yes…another Steve, was Jobs.
“…Ballmer’s goal of solidifying Microsoft into the ‘devices and services company,’…”
The S.S. Microsoft is going from the Titanic analogy of rearrangement of deck chairs to the new and doubt much improved, S. S. Microsoft the Lusitania carrying contraband cargo that end the end will go BOOM with great loss to many!
http://history1900s.about.com/cs/worldwari/p/lusitania.htm
Its RMS Titanic. Right Microsoft Shambles
“Instead, he has been working with only a small group of his direct reports and also some Microsoft board members, numerous sources said.”
The only thing worse than the “suits in a room” method is when they operate with limited input from the non-suits.
Corporate America operates on the idea that ONLY the suits matter and everyone else is simply and easily replaceable worker. Problem is, someone has to actually do the work. And when you treat people like they are nothing to you, that is the kind of performance you get from them.
Steve Ballmer’s legacy is going to be business school case studies about how a sales person put in charge of a tech company can not learn how to run a tech company by being the head of the tech company.
Again?!?!?
Is he going to replace the CEO?
Great metaphor. ;-). I passed a hair ball through my nose.
Everyone here is laughing at Steve Ballmer but creating a ‘devices and services company,’ has a familiar ring to Apple’s success based on the hardware and software coupling over the years, which has evolved to the “ecosystem” concept in the parlance of our times.
If Ballmer can bring this strategy together remake Microsoft into a devices and services company, build a time machine, move the Apple iceberg out of the way so that the Titanic will come safely to port, then Apple will be uh, was doomed.
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from an upside-down & backwards port
Aboard this micro-ship.
The mate was a jolly dumb man,
The skipper a brazen nerd.
The passengers set sail that day
For a three decade tour, a three decade tour.