Stringer Shakes Up Sony Management, Consolidates Control

By Geoff Duncan Published February 27, 2009

Stringer Shakes Up Sony Management, Consolidates Control

Responding to tough economic conditions and nosediving sales figures, Sony head Howard Stringer has announced (PDF) a shakeup that will see the company reformed around two main groups, and re-align Sony’s top brass so that Stringer will have comprehensive control over the electronics giant. The changes will go into effect April 1 and install Stringer as president of the company in addition to his existing roles and chairman and chief executive. Current Sony president Ryoji Chubachi shift into the role of vice-chairman, assisting Stringer on quality, safety, and environmental concerns.

“Consumers want products that are networked, multi-functional, and service-enhanced utilizing open technologies and user experiences that are rich, shared, and, increasingly, green,” said Stringer in a statement. “This reorganization is designed to transform Sony into a more innovative, integrated and agile global company with its next generation of leadership firmly in place.”

Recommended Videos

Sony will be reorganized into two groups: Network Products and Services and New Consumer Products. Network Products and Services will combine Sony’s personal computer business, Walkman media players, and PlayStation gaming businesses with PlayStation Network into a single unit headed by PlayStation’s Kaz Hirai. New Consumer Products will include Sony’s Bravia television business, along with digital cameras, home video, and video products businesses—it will be headed up by Hiroshi Yoshioka, the current head of Sony’s TV business.

The reorganization will also shift Sony’s CFO Katsumi Ihara out of the main company and off the board of directors to head up subsidiary Sony Financial Holdings.

Last month, Sony lowered its earnings expectations for the fiscal quarter ending in March by about 14 percent, due to the global economic slowdown and the comparative strength of the Japanese yen.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Computing

How to change margins in Google Docs

Laptop Working from Home

When you create a document in Google Docs, you may need to adjust the space between the edge of the page and the content --- the margins. For instance, many professors have requirements for the margin sizes you must use for college papers.

You can easily change the left, right, top, and bottom margins in Google Docs and have a few different ways to do it.

Computing

What is Microsoft Teams? How to use the collaboration app

A close-up of someone using Microsoft Teams on a laptop for a videoconference.

Online team collaboration is the new norm as companies spread their workforce across the globe. Gone are the days of primarily relying on group emails, as teams can now work together in real time using an instant chat-style interface, no matter where they are.

Using Microsoft Teams affords video conferencing, real-time discussions, document sharing and editing, and more for companies and corporations. It's one of many collaboration tools designed to bring company workers together in an online space. It’s not designed for communicating with family and friends, but for colleagues and clients.

Computing

Microsoft Word vs. Google Docs

A person using a laptop that displays various Microsoft Office apps.

For the last few decades, Microsoft Word has been the de facto standard for word processors across the working world. That's finally starting to shift, and it looks like one of Google's productivity apps is the heir apparent. The company's Google Docs solution (or to be specific, the integrated word processor) is cross-platform and interoperable, automatically syncs, is easily shareable, and perhaps best of all, is free.

However, using Google Docs proves it still has a long way to go before it can match all of Word's features -- Microsoft has been developing its word processor for over 30 years, after all, and millions still use Microsoft Word. Will Google Docs' low barrier to entry and cross-platform functionality win out? Let's break down each word processor in terms of features and capabilities to help you determine which is best for your needs.
How does each word processing program compare?
To put it lightly, Microsoft Word has an incredible advantage over Google Docs in terms of raw technical capability. From relatively humble beginnings in the 1980s, Microsoft has added new tools and options in each successive version. Most of the essential editing tools are available in Google Docs, but users who are used to Word will find it limited.