Microsoft's Corporate Level Strategy: Related Diversification

Microsoft has their dominance of the industry at stake. They could potentially come out on top if left to continue their current tactics. They are masterfully “marketing their products” and it is paying off for them (Love, 1997).

Microsoft has grown into an enormous and powerful corporation by a combination of aggressive business practices and having written operating systems (DOS and Windows) for personal computers. From operating systems it branched out into other software which has, along with the operating system, become something of an industry standard.

Guided by a belief that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers. Gates' foresight and his vision for personal computing have been central to the success of Microsoft and the software industry. Under Gates' leadership, Microsoft's mission has been to continually advance and improve software technology, and to make it easier, more cost-effective and more enjoyable for people to use computers. The company is committed to a long-term view, reflected in its industry-leading investment in research and development each year (Microsoft, 2011).

     Viewed together, three main facts indicate that Microsoft enjoys monopoly power. First, Microsoft's share of the market for Intel-compatible Personal Computer (PC) operating systems is extremely large and stable. Second, Microsoft's dominant market share is protected by a high barrier to entry. Third, and largely as a result of that barrier, Microsoft's customers lack a commercially viable alternative to Windows, the operating system of all PC's.

Microsoft was founded in 1975, and is the worldwide leader in software, services, and solutions (Career). Microsoft is proud to offer great products and employ outstanding people. Previous Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer once said, “There are many things that are true about Microsoft. We have big goals, big dreams, and big aspirations for the future. We are both competitive with our products and in the way we attract and retain talent. For me, the most important factor is competition for talent, because I know our success comes from the people who work here” (Foley).

A company with a business diversification consistently grew its profit by developing a diversified expansion plan beyond its core boundary compares to a new initiative. Repeatability allows a company to learn the mistakes made and support the systematic growth of the business a complex process. (Zook and Allen, 2003)

Gates’ company Microsoft and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have instant recognition around the globe. Windows is almost on every computing device in the world. For instance, Microsoft has invented the world’s most successful word processor. Today, Microsoft’s Office program is the most recognized in every business and home. Everything from PowerPoint to Excel to Outlook to Publisher has changed the way people and businesses think regarding editing, presenting and sharing documents. Few companies are able to globalize their products like Microsoft did. For instance, Apple managed to reach the global markets when they launched their first Macintosh; however, they did not receive the same recognition as Microsoft personal computers did. Similarly, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the most recognized and largest

One company that appears to have a gap between its mission and its capabilities is Microsoft. The software giant has long had a problem with respect to innovation, and continues to rely on aging franchises for the bulk of its revenue. It was left out of the mobile operating systems boom and has failed to be a leader in either software or consumer electronics as a result (Clarke, 2010).

in the most part, states that Microsoft is truly dismantling the competitive market. IBM and Apple created OS/2 and the Mac OS, respectively. Because of this “barrier of entry,” these top companies have not been able to “compete effectively with

Microsoft and its supporter’s claims that they are not breaking any laws, and are just

Microsoft operates in many geographic locations around the world and are behind the world’s most popular desktop operating system in the world. Microsoft is primarily a software company but have flexed their arms into internet services and are behind certain products in consumer market which is directly against Google. Microsoft’s market includes end-customers, enterprises and institutions just like Google. Some of the key Microsoft products are Bing which is a search engine just like Google.com and Microsoft ad center which is a direct

Looking at the sizable market share Microsoft has come to enjoy over the years, a new competitor would face a number of entry barriers before entering this market. Customers are very loyal to the Microsoft brand and would expect any competitor to offer at the very least the same features that Microsoft already has.

Microsoft has one of the most pervasive portfolios of software applications, services and products globally, equally effective in gaining and keeping customers in the consumer, small business and enterprise markets. The series of broad business models that comprise the company require intensive levels of governance, risk and compliance management (Ali, Green, 2012). Microsoft operates in over 160 different nations and needs to balance the many requirements of internal and external stakeholders while also meeting governance and compliance requirements globally. Balancing the three strategic priorities of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) requires intensive levels of stakeholder ownership, participation, support in addition to the precise defining of financial and strategic controls as well. GRC considerations are often managed at the board of director level where it is common to find frameworks designed to balance each area of GRC performance in conjunction with a series of analytics and metrics of performance to evaluate relative progress over time (Frigo, Anderson, 2009).

Microsoft Corporation is one of the largest and most influential companies in the personal computer industry. It has won several awards for innovation, for their commitment to diversity, and for their flexible work arrangements. It has always been a leader in the market with regard to its compensation. With 80,0004 employees across the world, having more than $15 billion revenue, it is one of the biggest and best‐known technology companies in the world.

Microsoft Corporation is one of the largest and most influential companies in the personal computer industry. It has won several awards for innovation, for their commitment to diversity, and for their flexible work arrangements. It has always been a leader in the market with regard to its compensation. With 80,0004 employees across the world, having more than $15 billion revenue, it is one of the biggest and best‐known technology companies in the world.