Reply to post: Re: Epic Failure = Increased share price.

Microsoft swings axe at 18,000 bods in its largest ever round of layoffs

Andrew Carter

Re: Epic Failure = Increased share price.

Let's be clear about this. The company is -owned- by the shareholders. Not the employees. So if the shareholders decide to buy or sell their shares in response to a piece of news, that is their prerogative.

Yes, there are many desperately sad consequences to laying off this many people, but you can't blame 'the market'. This is the very same market that allows these exact same companies to raise vast amounts of cash through initial and subsequent share offerings for internal investment. And once these companies are owned by 'the market', of course they need to be beholden to their masters, just like any other company. You do what your boss tells you. If you don't like it, choose a new boss!

Now, if your response to that is 'But I -did- like it, I wanted to work there, and now they've fired me', then I completely sympathize, and yet at the same time I have to ask a couple of questions.

- If you -don't- agree with the strategy being offered by 'the management', why would you want to work there any more anyway? You have good skills, you have good ideas, you know you want to 'steal their lunch' - JFDI.

- If you -do- agree with their strategy, then you can see why you might be the victim here. And again, you have good skills, you have good ideas, you know you want to 'steal their lunch' - JFDI.

Sadly, long gone are the days when -anyone- has a job for life. Not even in extremely socialist (aka 'communist') societies is that true any more. And if you are willing to accept that premise, that a 'job for life' is not on offer, then you have to expect that at some point you -will- be asked to leave. Knowing that, all you can do is prepare for that day...

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