Stephen Elop and Jo Harlow have left the (Microsoft) building
by Volker Weber
There are quite a lot of people who despised Stephen Elop. I was not one of them. I met him on several occasions, even for a long chat in Berlin, which I wasn't allowed to put on video. Stephen was a good leader. As was Jo, his right hand. They are both leaving Microsoft and the hardware business is folded into the Windows business under Terry Myerson.
This is going to be one difficult business. Windows has to work for all OEMs, and Microsoft is building its own premium Windows devices. (Almost) nobody is making Windows Phones; Lumia rules this small segment. Surface shows how lean Windows can be. And then there is Xbox, HoloLens, Surface Hub, Microsoft Band. A zoo ...
Comments
Well, I was surprised, but then, not really. After all, they had their time. Microsoft has a great chance ahead to build a perfect ecosystem. This time it is make or break.
A little bit on the off topic side, but I am writing this from Project Spartan Browser (later to be called 'Edge') on WM10 TP on my beloved Lumia 1520. This browser is so unbelievably fast - an iPhone 6 just crouches besides it. Windows 10 is really beautiful. With the rumoured hardware this sure *is* a winner.
I have been around a couple of times when the technically superior product did not win. So there.
True. But at least that way they stand a chance. They just need to become and stay relevant. Three major Players would be such a beautiful setup to keep everybody on their toes.
He is certainly not forgotten and will be well remembered in MBA courses: http://communities-dominate.blogs.com/brands/2011/08/coining-term-elop-effect-when-you-combine-osborne-effect-and-ratner-effect.html
Tomi Ahonen. Who will lever understand that Nokia was dead already.
Had they jumped on the Android train they probably had been able to take and defend the position of being the high end manufacturer. A niche, but a nice niche in a huge market - with a lot of options to move on from there.
Now they are the high end manufacturer in a niche market with little options left.
However, the best thing about strategy is that no one can prove that the other options would have been the better choice.
So these are also just my 2 cents and I can't prove anything as well.
