Akhir Zaman Keemasan Microsoft: PHK 5000 Karyawan

Zaman Keemasan Microsof sebagai sebuah kekuatan yang tak terbendungkan telah lampau. Raksasa Software Dunia ini mengumumkan PHK 5.000 karyawannya oleh karena makin menurunnya pendapatan Microsoft, salah satu penyebabnya adalah Krisis Finansial AS dan Global yang ikut menggerus penghasilannya. Ini merupakan PHK terbesar dalam 33-tahun sejarah Microsoft.

Walaupun pendapatannya mencapai US$4,2 Milyar pada kwartal-4/2008, turun 11%, dampaknya adalah penurunan Kapitalisasi saham MS sampai sebesar US$14 Milyar.

Penjualan Operating System Windows menurun sebesar 8% tahun 2008. Produk Windows Vista banyak menemui hambatan, sehingga Microsoft terpaksa mengeluarkan rilis baru Windows 7 yang masih dalam tahap pengembangan.

Penyebab lainnya adalah karena tidak fokus dalam bidang core-business-nya, Upaya-upaya dalam menambah revenue produk-produk sampingan seperti software video games, music player dan search engine tidak banyak membuahkan hasil. Pangsa pasar search engine microsoft MSN tidak lebih besar dari 10% dunia. Upayanya untuk membeli mesin pencari Yahoo! tahun lalu gagal. Upayanya untuk mengembangkan game console Xbox baru mulai breakeven setelah 7 tahun operasi. Perangkat music playernya "Zune" mengalami banyak masalah/bugs.

Sementara itu core-business Microsoft mengalami tekanan dari banyak perusahaan berbasiskan Open Source, seperti Google dan Sun Microsystems yang memberikan layanan software yang cost-efficient, seperti Google Desktop, Open Office, dll, dan dengan makin majunya teknologi Cloud Computing, maka layanan-layanan tersebut dapat dengan mudah diperoleh melalui jaringan Internet.

Operating System MS Windows mendapat pesaingan yang kuat dari Distro-distro Linux yang makin canggih dan berisikan pula software-softeware aplikasi yang lengkap, bukan hanya sekadar Operating System kosong. Yang menonjol adalah Distro Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora, OpenSUSE, dan Mandriva yang mendapat dukungan kuat dari komunitas Open Source lokal dan Dunia.


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Sumber Berita: Jeff Segal

Microsoft: Microsoft’s days as an unstoppable force are over. The software giant’s below-expectations earnings shocked investors. And it’s cutting 5,000 jobs – the first big layoffs in its storied 33-year history. The economic mess has highlighted Microsoft’s vulnerabilities. Boss Steve Ballmer needs to stop dabbling in unprofitable business ventures and focus on his exposed core product lines.

Despite the economic downturn, Microsoft remains the 800-pound gorilla of software – after all, it earned $4.2bn last quarter. But that’s an 11% drop from a year ago and well below what the market expected. Shareholders responded by whacking some $14bn of value off Microsoft’s market capitalisation following the announcement.

Its layoffs are even more worrying than its earnings disappointment. When Microsoft’s cash flow was surging, keeping 90,000 employees on hand seemed worthwhile. Its desire to cut costs now is a sign that it sees tougher times are ahead.

Indeed, sales of its Windows operating system – the company’s bread and butter – were down 8% last quarter as consumers bought fewer PCs. Software, including Windows and Microsoft’s various other offerings, generates nearly all of the company’s operating income.

Yet Microsoft has diverted much of that from its core businesses toward side projects like video games, music players and online search. None of those contribute significantly to its bottom line. Microsoft’s Xbox gaming console only entered the black in 2008 after seven years in the red. Its Zune music player has been bedevilled by bugs. And its MSN search engine commands less than one-tenth of the US search market.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s mainstays are under pressure from companies like Google that are pursuing cloud computing initiatives – essentially, free online software products – targeting its cash cows. To keep a dip from turning into a rout, Ballmer needs to abandon Microsoft’s host of also-ran distractions and focus on his core business lines.

jeff.segal@breakingviews.com