EP's interview on NBR (part 2)
by: world_roadshow (2?/M)
50170 of 50174
GHARIB: Who do you think, which companies will be the new agenda setters?
PFEIFFER: Clearly Compaq is focused on remaining the industry leader as we continue
the PC era as well as the appliance era that is ahead of us.
GHARIB: Where do you think Microsoft will fit in this landscape?
PFEIFFER: Microsoft is the major software factor operating systems as well as
applications in the PC space and obviously is expanding in the new directions.
GHARIB: Compaq has been growing so fast. What do you see as the biggest threat in
your future?
PFEIFFER: We need to stay focused. We need to stay competitive. We need to
continue to be on the leading edge of where technology and product are going.
GHARIB: What worries you?
PFEIFFER: I think the biggest concern you have as a CEO is to analyze what these
next turns, what these next steps are and where the industry is going. There's frequently
a lot of noise about "here comes the next big change." And, frequently, it doesn't
happen. So you need to listen when it occurs. But, at the same time, you need to be
extremely cautious to not bet on the wrong course. And watch it carefully, explore it
carefully, and in the end, pick the winner.
GHARIB: And as you know, Paul, Pfeiffer has had a real winning track record over the
years. One footnote about the phenomenal growth at Compaq. Pfeiffer told me that in the
first year of Compaq's business, it turned out 50,000 computers. Today, it makes that
many in one day. It's amazing. |
