"As analysts predicted it might, Microsoft on Thursday reported the company's first ever year-over-year sales decline for the quarter ended March 31. The software maker said fiscal third-quarter sales totaled $13.65 billion, down 6 percent compared with $14.45 billion in the same quarter a year ago. Its per-share earnings were 33 cents per share, although that included severance and investment impairment charges that reduced earnings by 6 cents per share. Analysts had been projecting sales of $14.15 billion and per-share earnings of 39 cents, down from 47 cents a year ago, according to Reuters Estimates. Microsoft had said in January that the crystal ball for the company was cloudy and at the time announced its first companywide layoffs, with plans to chop 5,000 jobs over an 18-month period."
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2009-04-23
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On the other hand, I wouldn't mind certain Steve B lose his job.
Won't hold my breath though.
MS cut about 800 jobs already. The 5K will be done sometime early next year I believe.
With the pace they are going through, there is still hope things won't turn out as bad.
I'd also like to point out Apple has been cutting back workforce in their retail stores lately.
Around 1500 full-time jobs equivalent have been reduced past quarter, though it doesn't necessarily mean 1500 people lost their jobs, maybe part-time offers are been terminated or overtime become unnecessary, after all unlike Microsoft, there are no huge amount of discharge related expenses reported 09Q2.
Edited 2009-04-24 19:14 UTC
Member since:2007-02-17
This very much depends on how you look at it. Microsoft is an employer, and hence jobs provider, for a decent number of people at one company. It is, however, simply a business cost, and hence inhibiter of employment, at countless more businesses.
The overall economic effect would IMO EASILY weigh in in favour of getting rid of the cost of Microsoft software and enabling countless thousands upon thousands of businesses worldwide to employ more people through those savings.
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I really feel for those people who are losing their jobs. I find it rather mean that there are people who losing their jobs and people here are revelling in the fact because it happens to be Microsoft.
Whether you like or dislike the policies of Microsoft - there are people involved and what one should be blaming isn't the individuals but the culture that ultimately promotes the very people who perpetuate the current policies. For the vast majority they go along to work, clock themselves in, write the code (or what ever they do whilst at work), clock themselves out and off back home. What we don't hear about are the ordinary folk who work in these large companies.
As for the economic situation; the stimulus package isn't going to fix it because the simple fact of the matter is that the economy needs to find its equilibrium; house prices were inflated, people have too much debt, credit was too cheap during the boom, and people treated their houses like an ATM card. What will fix it is time - not any of the promised economic voodoo that any particular party is pushing.
Edited 2009-04-24 13:25 UTC
Member since:2006-12-05
Boo-hoo. Opinions, opinions. I find it amusing in a sadistic sort of way on a company level, although for the individual workers it is kind of sad. But whatever; whatever happens happens. This is the real world, and the real world is not all nice.
The economy has been going to hell for a while now; the fact that it's beginning to bite Microsoft in the ass shouldn't be even remotely surprising. How horrible, a monopoly is finally feeling a sting--something they probably completely forgot the feeling of over a decade ago. Wake-up call, maybe?
In my opinion, they should have felt something long ago; perhaps at the time of the US v. Microsoft, maybe? They've been playing dirty for years with nothing more than a slap on the wrist; it's about time they feel some pain. Better late than never. Who knows... possible catch-up time for some other company/competitor.
Go ahead, you know you wanna mod me straight down to hell.
Edited 2009-04-27 00:15 UTC
