Forbes: Microsoft's Midlife Crisis

I read this article on Forbes.com today. Great insight into Microsoft's challenges as a large cooperation. Having worked at Microsoft for 1½ years I do recognise several of the issues.

Before I go any further, let me say, that I have great respect for Microsofts achievements, its challenges and their CEO Steve Ballmer. His live performances is something everyone should experience at least once in their life. Steve Ballmer is FANTASTIC on a stage. The same enthusiasm you hear about, when he throws chairs through offices and wants to "reduce" competition (knotch knotch) - the same ausumn enthusiasm just in a much more positive way he delivers when he gives a speach - respect Steve Ballmer! However, the large cooperation calls for a lot of administrative tasks - any 90.000 employee company without that demand?

This is where Microsoft's challenge is - its still dynamic, but not as dynamic as say Google or Yahoo!. They have a much smaller focus area, which means that top management is a lot more focused. Maybe Google and Yahoo! will have this problem at a later stage.