The last review meeting with Ballmer: Joachim Kempin. Kempin, for those who remember him, falls squarely within the group of "problem employees." Kempin certainly helped build a powerhouse Microsoft software. It is also one of the key employees whose actions landed Microsoft in hot water with the U.S. Department of Justice in the 1990s.
Microsoft Kempin left 11 years ago. But he is back with a new book, entitled "Resolve and Fortitude:. Microsoft "SECRET POWER BROKER breaks his silence"
(If you're curious about the "secret power broker" in the title - or the role Kempin Microsoft disorders Department of Justice - I point you to an article I wrote about him in 1998, entitled " Microsoft Power Broker is secret. ")
Kempin powered OEM division at Microsoft to become quite profitable. Kempin my story:
In fiscal 1997, ended June 30, Microsoft OEM group contributed $ 3.48 billion, or nearly a third of the company's total net sales of 11.36 billion. Even if the financial gurus Microsoft warned Wall Street for years that the market for operating systems, at least for desktop computers, is close to hit the OEM division was able to increase its sales revenue contribution of nearly 40 percent from $ 2.5 billion for fiscal 1996.
Kempin and his group achieved this by pushing OEMs to license more Microsoft technologies and combine them together to get better prices per copy for Windows. (OEM not seem to be the only ones that bullied or, on the basis of a complaint filed against him hunting in 2000.)
I have not read the book Kempin (or even an excerpt, given that the Kindle version is only available for customers to Amazon in the UK at the moment.) But from the description, it seems, no surprise that it takes past events is different from that OEM presented at trial:
Discover how to resolve, courage and perseverance were required to be part of the PC revolution become reality what strategies have been used to win the war for Internet browsers, how IBM was beaten, prompting Apple board the disaster, and how corrupt politicians and competitors unhappy eventually spurred the federal ensnare in a web of Microsoft antitrust charges.
After Kempin left Microsoft, he has been - and continues to be - a revolving door between the heads of the OEM business. Microsoft now competing head-to-head with its suppliers, it must be a thankless job even more than usual.
Whether you are in the camp pro-or anti-Ballmer, it is always useful to question the motives of anyone describing an event. (I've learned from sources over the years.) For those who have scores to settle, everything looks like a millstone.
This story appeared on ZDNet under the title "The last basher Ballmer: Microsoft OEM former leader
