marmoset@ub.cc.umich.edu (Dave Walker) (07/02/90)
In article <44175@brunix.UUCP> agm@cs.brown.edu (Axel Merk) writes: > Just a quick opinion about management styles: Jack Tramiel, former > president of Commodore (yes, the company that opened the computer > market to the general public) was fired from his own company in 1984 > because he changed the head management too frequently. The company had > just grown grown to a billion-dollar company and they decided to kick > out the heart of the company (ok, Jack is no perfectionist as Steve > Jobs is, but that's not the point I'm trying to make). Jack Tramiel > left, the stock price of cbm plunged from 42 to about 10 within a > year, and the company had to go on a severe "diet" in order to avoid > running chapter 11. Nowadays, he is running Atari (with his son) and > won't let anyone kick him out again.... To be fair, Tramiel's abrasive management style, lax quality control, and hostility towards dealers has been a major factor in the inability of both Commodore and Atari to retain large and loyal dealer networks. I spent almost 2 years working for a Commodore and Atari dealer, and getting either of those companies to provide advertising support, new products, and training was like pulling teeth. Commodore recently has gotten much better about it, but Atari's current management (i.e. the Tramiels) are still just a bad joke among computer sales industry professionals. +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Dave Walker, Marmoset Pty. Ltd. | | marmoset@ub.cc.umich.edu "I don't read, I just guess" | | marmoset@mondo.engin.umich.edu -Happy Mondays, "Wrote For Luck" | | | | Since I *am* Marmoset Pty. Ltd., they usually agree with what I say... | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+