Monthly News International
HP Commits to PCs, New Smartphones and Ultrabooks
HP Commits to PCs, New Smartphones and Ultrabooks - Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has decided to keep its PC division in-house.
Experton Group believes HP’s about-face decision to keep its PC business intact is understandable given community reaction, the obstacles the company would need to tackle, and the need for its newly-minted CEO to act decisively. Though the spin-off was cursed with undeniable baggage since its August announcement, Whitman’s decision to keep PC design and manufacturing in-house was not a foregone conclusion. This initial move from the new CEO is being met with universal praise and seems to suggest that she understands the value derived from offering a full range of computing products, even if some of those businesses – as many might describe the PC business – are loss leaders. Still, Whitman has a long way to go to reverse the damage caused at the industry stalwart by predecessors dating back to Carly Fiorina more than one decade ago.
IT executives should be cautiously optimistic about the company's new lease on life, and at the very least, should take comfort in knowing that Whitman believes in the company's core values. Though this trial-by-fire will be tough given her inexperience running a computing conglomerate the size of HP, she is easily better for morale and relationship building than her predecessor, Leo Apotheker.
.