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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Teflon who wrote (19812)	4/6/1999 3:37:00 PM
From: RTev	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

this whole MSN topic is my biggest concern when it comes to challenges that MSFT faces as we head into the new millenium. I think that's exactly right. It also seems like Microsoft's management sees it that way as well. But their inability to get the manager they want is troubling. Clearly, this executive search process must be embarrasing to Microsoft. The longer it goes on, the harder it becomes, especially because the problems there seem to be getting ingrained. There are too many people at all levels in that division who have been burned (and burned out) by the constant shifts. They've lost some great people because of the problems in the internet division. Peter Neupert who ran it a few years ago is now getting a great deal of publicity with the launch of drugstore.com. The new company shows how good Neupert is at this kind of thing and casts doubt on Microsoft. Why couldn't they keep him? That has to be a question for anyone thinking of taking over. There's even starting to be a bit of a job-market problem that Microsoft has never faced before. They've always been, still are, and probably always will be the monster high-tech employer in the Seattle area. It used to be that even the smaller companies (folks like Visio and the many other niche players) were dependent on Microsoft. But this a new group of companies -- including AMZN, RNWK, GNET, and drugstore.com -- are going about things independently. They don't follow the Microsoft model, but they do hire from the same job pool. That makes it more difficult for Microsoft's internet group to get and keep the best mid- and low-level employees.