The Microsoft Corporation

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the Microsoft Corporation. According to the paper, the Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates, one of the richest and most powerful business leaders in the world today. The paper discusses the corporations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Outline:
Introduction
General Environmental: Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats:Volatility
General Environment Threat 1: Technical
General Environment Threat 2: Sociocultural
Specific force: Threat
Relevant Dimension of the General Environment
Strategic Plan: Two Sets of Tactical and Operational Plans
Rational Decision-Making Model
Resistance to Change

From the Paper:

"Microsoft's forays into the area of downloadable music to rival Apple have been equally disappointing. To lure users away from Apple, Microsoft created a service called URGE. URGE came integrated into the newest version of Microsoft Corporation's Windows Media Player. URGE offered 2 million tracks, which could be purchased individually for $.99 cents or users could select an option that allowed unlimited downloads at a monthly rate of $9.95, or $14.95 which allowed URGE subscribers to transfer songs to compatible portable music players. Apple's iTunes service offered no such subscription option."
"But because Microsoft is not a first-mover in the market, and Apple has established a lock on this aspect of the business, this means that URGE's potential to rival Apple's iTunes is quite doubtful. The fact that URGE is not compatible with Apple's Macintosh computers or Apple's market-leading iPod digital music player, combined with the availability of music on Internet file-sharing networks, "has made subscription music plans a tough sell." (MTV enters crowded downloadable market," CNN Technology, AP Wire, 2006)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Microsoft rolls-out corporate search tool." CNN: Technology. AP Wire. 17 May 17 2006. [22 May 2006] http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/ptech/05/17/microsoft.search.ap/index.html
• "MTV enters crowded download market." CNN: Technology. AP Wire. 16 May 2006. [22 May 2006] http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/05/16/mtv.online.ap/index.html
• Lu Stout, Kristie. "Reclusive Linux founder opens up." CNN: World business. 19 May 2006http://www.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/05/18/global.office.linustorvalds/index.html
• "Microsoft Announces Spectacular Windows Vista Title Lineup." Microsoft Press Release. 6 May 2006. Microsoft.com homepage. [22 May 2006] http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/may06/05-09G4WE3LineupPR.mspx

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