This article is so true of many companies, no matter what industry they're in. They forget what made them successful in the first place. Innovative products has been replaced with innovative marketing and packaging.
There's nothing wrong with making a buck, but make money NOW with little or no future vision is not sustainable.
"This article is so true of many companies, no matter what industry they're in..."
Agreed. But it is important to note that while HP is, for all intents and purposes, now dead, it doesn't mean technology innovation is dead.
Carly came to HP and lacking any really good ideas, she decided to coast......A company, especially a technology company, can have a few really good quarters of financial performance if one cuts things like research, maintenance, and other things that can be deferred.
Carly learned this from AT&T, carried it to Lucent, and HP....a "Me First" attitude that was not in the best interests of her company or her stockholders.
That said, like everything else, it takes money to develop stuff and sometimes you have more money for innovation than at other times. A LOT of technology companies were hurting in the 2000-2003 timeframe....those that survived cut everything, just to keep the lights on - and their product lines suffer down the road because of it - and it is apparent now in some cases.
Do not mistake the death of the old stalwarts of technology and innovation with the death of technology itself. America is still the leader.