Microsoft

Foundation of Microsoft

Apr 4, 1975

By Steve Jobs and Paul Allen

Contract with IBM: Big Break Through

Jan 1, 1980

IBM asked Microsoft to provide the operating System

Operating system: Windows version 1.0

Jan 1, 1985

First operation system

Application Software

Nov 10, 1987

Application software: Microsoft is the first to offer a bundle of applications at a discouted price.
Competing with:
- Lotus
- WordPerfect
- Borland

Operating systems: Periodic Upgrades

Nov 10, 1990

Microsoft's OS strategy: periodic upgrades

Introduction of Windows NT family

Nov 10, 1993

Operating system for corporate service market.

Peak of application software

Nov 10, 1995

Microsoft captured 90% of the market for productivity software applications in 1995. But steady downward pressure on prices

Enterprise Strategy

Period: Jan 1, 1998 to Dec 31, 2005

Internet Explorer 3.0

Nov 10, 1998

Fight competition against Netscape. Bt 1999 Explorer had captured 77% of market share.

Java Threat

Nov 10, 2000

Java made it possible for software applications to run on any mahcine. Threaten to reduce the significance of the traditional OS.

Microsoft was a monopoly

Nov 10, 2000

Federal court judge ruled that Microsoft was a monopoly.

Microsoft Enterprise Strategy

Nov 10, 2002

Threats:
- Open source software
- Linux
- Security issues Opportunities:
- emerging markets
- foreign governments
- NET.: an operating system for the internet. Competitor: Java
- Vista: new version of windows

Digital strategy for consumers

Nov 10, 2002

New markets:
- home entertainment devices and content: Xbox
- Mobile and embedded devices: Windows Mobile 2003
- Microsoft Netwrok (MSN)

Small and medium-size business strategy

Nov 10, 2002

Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS)

Organizational changes

Nov 10, 2005

Company was too centralized
- company was split up in different business units
- switching from stock options to restricted sotck awards

2005: how further?

Nov 10, 2005