Hewlett-Packard needs revamping, that much is certain. But of all the possible candidates that need some serious major overhaul, HP Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurd decided to pick the company’s imaging and printing division — their bread-and-butter business, which is doing great. One does not need some business savvy and sensibility to know that HP is making big bucks from the printers. In fact, HP is synonymous to printers.
What was Hurd thinking?
He has been doing some layoffs and readjustments within the company after assuming head command. He just laid 15,000 workers off and reduced research projects from 150 to at the very least 20, which is very understandable. But touching the printing division when it’s doing well clearly counters the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
The best move there is for Hurd is to delve into and bolster develop their Snapfish acquisition, which they bought in 2005. HP wanted to be elemental in the booming photography market but the online digital photo service did not do well as expected.
Hurd heavily defended his decisions, stating that all moves were calculated and the risks were all accounted for, with counter measures ready in hand. But Hurd has still a long way to go before he could prove that he is right in making those choices.
Other technology leaders such as Mayo Shattuck are profiled on Leaders of Technology.
Mayo Shattuck is profiled on BusinessWeek.
