Managing Your Company To Death

puppetman writes "This weeks I, Cringely is a frightening monologue on the plight of over-managed companies: VC's and professional managers who are looking to make a quick buck, even if it consigns the company to the rubbish heap. He praises companies like Oracle and Sun because the founder still runs the company, and is in touch with the core of the buisiness. He also makes an interesting aside about the founders of the Canadian company, Research in Motion (makers of the Blackberry) and their personal contribution of $120 million for research into particle physics, to illustrate what happens when technical expertise and business success can lead to."

Larry Ellison

[Louis-Nap]

In the case of Oracle, I don't think Larry Ellison is still in touch with reality, never mind the core of the company!

Hang on a minute!

[Andy_R]

This is just Dilbert wthout the jokes!

Say what?

[red5]

to illustrate what happens when technical expertise and business success can lead to.

Perhaps I'm just too tired, but what did you just say? Lead to where exactly?

Translation, please?

[richie2000]

to illustrate what happens when technical expertise and business success can lead to.

Lead to what? Incomplete sentences?

Re:Larry Ellison

[OverRated]

Here's the obligatory funny comic about Larry Ellison: here [userfriendly.org]

Re:Hang on a minute!

[chegosaurus]

Dilbert has jokes?

Makers of the blackberry?

[eyez]

And all this time, I thought blackberries were a naturally occuring fruit.

amen, brotha...

[BiOFH]

Why do "the analysts" feel it's imperative and so ungoldy urgent that a company like Intel must grow ALL THE TIME?

SCENARIO: Me alone in a room with a freaking-out analyst.
A:"Oh no! They only made $6.2 billion this quarter! That's no more than thet made last quarter! ZERO GROWTH!"
M:"Yes, but they sold a shitload of parts. They make parts. They sold a shitload. That's good. They sold a shitload the quarter before that. See a trend?"
A:"Zero growth!!! De-Value them! Down-rate the stock!"
M: *punches analyst in the groin*

This is my dream. Then I force him to buy all my worthless stock.

Re:Sounds like Metricom

[fuzza]

There should be a blacklist of suits circulated around the geek community, so you know to bail when one of these idiots signs on to your company...

<obvious>
We only need a picture... anyone with pointy hair is a good candidate :)
</obvious>

Yeah like there would be Apple without Jobs...

[crovira]

Sometimes the company founder goes away, the company gets managed almost to oblivion and then the founder comes back (or some corporate take-over king) and kicks the mis-managers in the ass and turns the company around.

In either case (founder or take-over king) the company is saved from its own management by throwing them out.

I have found a use for lawyers and MBAs: Fertilizer.

Re:Grammar nazism

[gclef]

[says in small voice]

'phenomenae'.

Do Doooo de do do.

'phenomenae'.

Do Do Di Do.

No Tales....

[jhughes]

Wow, I'm pretty thankful I can't add any tales of Managers managing my company to death....

cuz that'd require something resembling management...

Re:Translation, please?

[richie2000]

Yes, Yoda. :-) Remember that, I will.

Figures...

[knarf]

It's those suits and ties them 'management' folk are wearing. Nearly strangle them, those ties do. Cuts the blood supply to their brains. No wonder they act the way they do.

BS

[Enry]

I've been in company after company where the founder has a great idea, gets the company started, then can't manage or build the company for beans. They all wound up in the scrapheap.

A sign of a good company is one where the founder(s) realize they can't do any more good for the company and step down in favor of someone with real business sense who can grow the company from there. A better sign is when the founder(s) stay either on the board or as CTO/corporate visionary.

Sun and Oracle's success are probably flukes. Two success stories does not prove anything. Not when I have 4 stories that prove otherwise.

Peter?

[giminy]

Did you get that memo? We're putting the new cover sheets on all the TPS reports now.

Re:amen, brotha...

[Hittite Creosote]

In your scenario, you would buy stock in Intel, and it would basically never go up, but occasionally you would earn a dividend (assuming Intel gives one). You might as well invest in a bank.

Yes, but given the current stock market, you might as well stick your money in a sock and bury it...

Re:management vs. actual work

[driverEight]

In a related note, you have come close to stating the real purpose of management: To improve the systems by which the company runs.
(Incidentally Demming, who helped revive the Japanese Auto industry after WWII knew this in the 50's. It is strange that it has taken so long to be accecpted here.)