Nokia bets on Windows Phone future

Quite a few interesting lessons from Nokia's new strategy:
i) new strategy was developed by the new CEO which links to leadership styles;
ii) Nokia seems to be trying to develop a new segment in the market, which is a gamble, but its potential 'billion people';
iii) interesting to note how Nokia tries to differentiate from direct competitors with services (think VCA);
iv) Nokia's new strategy is based on a strategic alliance. This strategic alliance is particularly interesting because Microsoft does not have its own handsets (in contrast to Apple and Google).

Nokia bets on Windows Phone future

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has launched two new smartphones based on Microsoft's new Windows Phone 7.5 operating system.
The Lumia 800 and the Lumia 710 mark the beginning of Nokia's fightback against Apple's iPhone and rivals using Google's Android software

Read the whole article at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15459118

Hewlett Packard to exit computing and buy Autonomy

This is a good case study for a number of strategic management concepts:
i) planned and emergent strategies: a few months ago HP had announced that they will concentrate on WebOS which has not produced the expected results; HP is quick in changing strategy, even if it must be very financially painful for them.
ii) exit from its cash-cow business: selling pc BU which is considered the biggest in the world. Interpreting the justification from a strategic management perspective, it seems that the software segment has larger profit margins. Interesting to note that this refocusing is a combined with the acquisition of Autonomy.
iii) the refocusing of the business is based on the expertise of its new CEO who has joined from SAP.
The article draws the parallel between HP and IBM a decate ago, but there is a fundamental difference; IBM was not No. 1 when decided to diversify. Also, HP's history of mergers has shown that it is not the most adaptable and flexible company.

Hewlett Packard to exit computing and buy Autonomy

Hewlett Packard has confirmed plans to stop making PCs, tablets and phones, in order to refocus on software.
It has also emerged that the US company has agreed to buy UK software firm Autonomy for £7.1bn ($11.7bn).

Read the whole article at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14584428

Edward E. Whitacre Jr.

Whitacre is a good example of 'expertise' leadership, he is brought in problematic companies and helps them recover.

Edward E. Whitacre Jr.
Edward E. Whitacre, the former chairman of AT&T, was named the chairman of the "New G.M.'' on June 9, 2009, as the federal government continued to shake up the bankrupt auto giant. The company said in January 2010 that he would become G.M.'s permanent chief executive. The move was not unexpected given how he had taken control of management since the ouster of G.M.'s former chief executive, Fritz Henderson.

Read the whole article at: http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/w/edward_e_whitacre_jr/index.html?inline=nyt-per

The rise and fall of MySpace

A very well written 'reportage' which is a great case study for MySpace and News Corp. There are example for a great variety of strategic management topics. Interesting to note: News Corp. diversification strategy; the process for Merger (and how the target was selected); the impact of the environment; and leadership styles.

The rise and fall of MySpace
By Matthew Garrahan
Published: December 4 2009 15:26 Last updated: December 4 2009 15:26

In summer 2005, having spent the best part of four decades ­building a newspaper, film and television empire, Rupert Murdoch decided that the time had come to get serious about the internet. As founder and chairman of News Corporation, one of the world’s biggest and most powerful media conglomerates, Murdoch controls an eclectic portfolio of businesses ranging from The Sun newspaper to the movie studio 20th Century Fox. Yet with young people “watching less television and reading fewer newspapers”, as he observed that summer, News Corp desperately needed a bigger presence online.

Read the whole article at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fd9ffd9c-dee5-11de-adff-00144feab49a.html

Henry Mintzberg on managing

Henry Mintzberg is one of the most influential researchers and authors on strategy.

Listen to his interview with the economist at: http://audiovideo.economist.com/?fr_story=86aec0aa817a9003c3484cf810141d082d76fb7a&rf=bm

Fast bucks: how Porsche made billions

It is fascinating to read how a company can prosper within a financial crisis period. Porsche is definitely an interesting case study and at the same time it provides good examples on the appointment of a leader, without any relevance and capabilities in the sector (think our 'leadership expertise'), has created unexpected sources of income.


Fast bucks: how Porsche made billions
By Emily Hughes BBC Money Programme

Porsche is world famous for its iconic sports cars.
But car manufacturing isn't the only thing the company is good at.
Last year it made six times as much on the stock market as it did making cars.

Read the whole article at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7843262.stm