These are some outtakes from an online Vanity Fair article titled “Microsoft’s Downfall: Inside the Executive E-mails and Cannibalistic Culture That Felled a Tech Giant”.
Today, a single Apple product—the iPhone—generates more revenue than all of Microsoft’s wares combined.
a program that forces every unit to declare a certain percentage of employees as top performers, good performers, average, and poor—effectively crippled Microsoft’s ability to innovate
It leads to employees focusing on competing with each other rather than competing with other companies.
It was always much less about how I could become a better engineer and much more about my need to improve my visibility among other managers.
You look at the Windows Phone and you can’t help but wonder, How did Microsoft squander the lead they had with the Windows CE devices? They had a great lead, they were years ahead. And they completely blew it. And they completely blew it because of the bureaucracy.
I see Microsoft as technology’s answer to Sears,” said Kurt Massey, a former senior marketing manager. “In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, Sears had it nailed. It was top-notch, but now it’s just a barren wasteland. And that’s Microsoft. The company just isn’t cool anymore.
Wow… Sears? That’s gonna hurt if your a Microsoft employee. You can read the entire article on the VF site.