Companies (a minimum of publicly traded ones) are beholden to shareholders. However they also are beholden to their employees. And even though most Softies are afraid to state for your document that they feel Microsoft should certainly abandon its takeover of Yahoo, that view can be a real and prevailing sentiment amongst a lot of in the Microsoft ranks.
These aren;t people who are declaring Microsoft really should stroll absent from Yahoo to ensure that Yahoo;s stock price will tank and Microsoft can swoop in and acquire them later on. They are individuals who're opposed to a Microsoft takeover of Yahoo at any cost. And whilst it;s difficult to get more than efficiently a provider exactly where many of the workers don;t would like to perform for you,
Windows 7 Starter, it;s potentially far even worse to alienate your personal staff by spending billions to get technologies and individuals with whom your rank and file haven't any curiosity in operating.
The Wall Road Journal is hearing dissent amongst the Microsoft management ranks concerning the Yahoo merger:
“Still,
Office Pro Plus 2010, Mr. Ballmer faces opposition to your deal in his own ranks: Executives at several Microsoft divisions oppose the bid on grounds it will divert needed resources and attention from other challenges the organization faces, said many people familiar using the company. That sentiment is heightened as Microsoft heads into its annual budgeting season, said consumers familiar with all the enterprise.”
I;m hearing it, too, among some of the Microsoft rank and file. Of course, no one wants to be on the document opposing a deal championed by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Platforms & Services Chief Kevin Johnson and Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell; that would be career suicide. But here;s one take from an insider who asked to remain anonymous:
“‘Yahoo can be a amazing thing for your search team;” is the BS line that upper management apparently continues to send. Generally, individuals just accept it as most likely coming,
Buy Office 2007, but quite a bit don;t expect it to impact anything materially for at least a year. Believe the EU is going to let this go easily, if at all? It will get forever in regulatory approvals.”
Another anonymous vote of no confidence:
“No one wants it (the Microsoft-Yahoo merger) to happen. The only reason it;s being considered is that the management of Windows Live has been so ineffective that they can;t ship anything worth using. They're consistently behind what shoppers want,
Office 2010 Code, and unlike the old Microsoft, they're so poorly managed that they can;t even copy everyone else. “
Are Softies fighting the Yahoo merger because they fear they might lose their jobs? Doubtful,
Office 2010, as there are lots of open slots in Microsoft;s online services company right now. If anyone is at risk of being cut, it;s significantly more likely the Yahoos.
That said, not everyone at Microsoft is anti-MicroHoo. Some Microsoft individuals are counting on moving to Yahoo if the deal is consumated. As one commentor (who may or may not actually operate for Microsoft) noted in a recent post for the Mini-Microsoft blog:
“On the question on why Microsoft workers inside the valley like the Yahoo deal:
Most of us work either in the TV division or MSN — both of which are complete f-ing disasters. Microsoft really should have lit off a neutron bomb here a long time ago — but that would require management skills.
“I work within the TV division (completely f–ked up with evil and corrupt management and 11 YEARS of red ink), and I for one will be shifting to a Yahoo group on day 1 after the acquisition.
“I know that a minimum of 10 of my operate friends have the same plan. It is our escape plan if something in the valley doesn;t look even more interesting first.
“Therefore, we like the deal.”
There;s been lots of back and forth about Microsoft and Ballmer being at risk of “losing face” if Microsoft gives up on its Yahoo acquisition plan. I really feel as though there;s nothing embarrassing about admitting your original idea was ill-advised, and after three months, you;ve realized you could better spend your billions elsewhere.
In fact, if I were Microsoft, I;d be using a good part of that $40-odd billion to hire a SWAT team to help Windows Vista. I;m not talking about hiring a great deal more developers; I;m talking about finding people who could creatively find a way to market downgrades to XP as a selling point. Microsoft need to be far further worried about its Vista image problem than about outsmarting Yahoo, at this point.
Remember: Windows still generates one-third of Microsoft;s sales and two-thirds of its profits. Online Services is still a black hole. If Microsoft;s cash cows dry up prematurely, there won;t be any services future for the provider to worry about.