Item Subject: cc:Mail Text
If you haven't seen it yet (I haven't), the August 2nd issue of
BusinessWeek magazine has a very interesting article on new HP CEO
Carly Fiorina and the company in general.

Some passages of interest:

        Job One [of a set of priorities Ms. Fiorina has mapped out
        for herself] is to craft a compelling vision of HP as an
        Internet company that can stitch together a vast range of
        products -- from $25 inkjet cartridges to $1 million
        supercomputers -- for any customer that has to compete
        in the online and offline worlds.

A $1 million HP 3000 -- the mind wobbles. ;)


        One example [of HP's problems in the mid-1990s]: When
        four managers from retailer Best Buy Co. wanted some
        computer products, 50 HP employees showed up to push
        their units' wares, says a former executive.

I guess they had to get another meeting room.


        Livermore appointed Earle to pull together a strategy and
        marketing plan -- within three months. Says Livermore:
        "I told him I wanted to get at least three complaints
        a week about him. I wanted him to push too hard."
        ...
        And on Feb. 3, before HP's executive committee had given
        the thumbs up, Earle told Wall Street analysts of the Net
        push -- and of an accompanying $100 million marketing campaign.
        Back at the office, Russell asked him, "Where'd you get the
        $100 million?" Earle's response: "I haven't yet."

That's taking the "easier to ask forgiveness than permission"
idea to the next level.


Anyway, you get the idea.  It's a long article (it's the cover story,
after all), but a very interesting read.  It's also online, at

        < http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_31/b3640001.htm >

--Glenn