I am disappointed that there was not more direct information regarding the links between Ballmer and the directions the mentioned technologies have taken.
I can't help but think that there are other factors besides a single individual regarding Zune, Vista, CE, and so on. Can it really be true that one individual is responsible for every one of those going the wrong way?
Microsoft is still a valuable company and continues to be in millions of homes, businesses and schools around the world. Keeping a foothold in that market seems like a success, to me. Losing stock value is one aspect of the measurement of successes of a company, but is it truly the reflection of a single individual?
In corporate culture, the CEO is, fairly or not, a proxy for the company, and thus, the individual held responsible for the success or failure of the corporate entity.
No different from firing the manager or head coach of a sports team (which may inherit a losing streak due to pure luck or regression to a mean from a spectacular run of winning seasons).
I can't help but think that there are other factors besides a single individual regarding Zune, Vista, CE, and so on. Can it really be true that one individual is responsible for every one of those going the wrong way?
Microsoft is still a valuable company and continues to be in millions of homes, businesses and schools around the world. Keeping a foothold in that market seems like a success, to me. Losing stock value is one aspect of the measurement of successes of a company, but is it truly the reflection of a single individual?