Microsoft Learning Addresses Offshore Rumor
9/17/2003 -- In an interview with CertCities.com today, Dan Truax, director of Microsoft Certification Business & Product Strategy, addressed a rumor published in InfoWorld's "Notes from the Field" column last week that Microsoft Learning had laid of 30 content producers with plans to move its content development overseas, “possibly to India.”
In a statement issued to CertCities.com yesterday, Microsoft said that the layoffs -- which were made in conjuction with the formation of the new Microsoft Learning group -- affected a number of job types, and actually resulted in a higher employee to management ratio. "This flatter organization exists to empower employees to make decisions and service customers," it read.
In the interview today, Truax confirmed this statement and commented further on the issues raised in the column.
“There are two things that are being mixed and taken out of context [in the InfoWorld article]," he commented.
"One of the reasons that drove [the creation of Microsoft Learning] is that there was a lot of duplication of content, duplication of sales...so it was really important to us to be able to remove that duplication," he stated.
"We have always and continue to have some of the content creation done by partners, and we continue to invest in our partnerships..to create unique custom content," he explained. "With our partner model, [the] primary purpose for [overseas content creation] would be for them to customize to local market to meet international needs, and not our purpose to have content developed to meet our U.S. needs."
He said that such development is not unusual for a world-wide learning provider like Microsoft. "As a global company, if we don't do a good job serving our customers' needs and they're asking for localized content...it's my job to make sure that we’re meeting all of our customers' needs."  -Becky Nagel
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There are 82  user Comments for “Microsoft Learning Addresses Offshore Rumor”
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| 9/17/03: Anonymous says: |
I wish I had a button I could press, when these guys were lying,that would shock them out of their seats. The whole group would be lying on the floor! |
| 9/17/03: paul says: |
Some of the best "corporatespeak" I have everheard. That was not a direct answer !!! I'd like to have the button mentioned in the previous response as well! |
| 9/17/03: Robert Cover from Toronto says: |
"This flatter organization exists to empower employees to make decisions and service customers," Yeah Right This flatter org structure has been manufactured to squeeze more productivity from cheaper paid workers in order to maximize profits. And you wonder why so many people resnet Microsoft. Your shareholder returns are more important than customers. Yet another example of "THe Myth of Good Corporate Citizenship" |
| 9/17/03: Anonymous54 says: |
Double-speak is right; So is Truax saying that his US customers aren't asking for localized US content? or is he just not hearing them? |
| 9/17/03: Terry from Northwest USA says: |
WAKE UP and smell the keyboard? I live in the NW and if you are in IT, try to find a job here. If the IT work force does not stand up and do something soon, we all might as well move to India. |
| 9/17/03: Anonymous says: |
Microsoft said that the layoffs -- which were made in conjuction with the formation of the new Microsoft Learning group -- affected a number of job types, and actually resulted in a higher employee to management ratio. TRANSLATION - There are less people to do the same if not more work and there are less managers to effectively manage them and see to it that the work gets done |
| 9/17/03: CerMan from Florida says: |
Listen, Microsoft's Education division is just not profitable. Not as many students in the classes, means less demand for their products. Less demand for products, no need to have all those developers. simple.. Microsoft should go back to requiring certification from resellers, and this all would go away, and the cottage industry of certification would rise again. |
| 9/17/03: Joe from NY says: |
Yeah, well, whatever. Our jobs move to India so who better to write our exams? Screw Microsoft, and screw the IT industry for being corporate sellouts. It will eventually end when your end users call the help desk number and cant f'n understand a word of what anyone says from India AND China. Watch out folks, this is your next IT rape town. Goooooooood Luck! |
| 9/17/03: The Truth says: |
The IT industry is taking it in the groin these days-- it's time for some of us to face reality and deal with it. When IT has incentive to stay put it will; until then IT needs to watch out for itself, just like we have to watch out for ourselves. Do we stand around and wait to be trained on new technology by our employers, or do we proactively empower ourselves by picking up a book? Businesses must make similar decisions, proactively covering themselves. Instead of sending angry rhetoric to our neighbours overseas, why don't we spend more time with our elected officials, pushing them to create the incentives to keep jobs in the west (U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, etc.)? |
| 9/17/03: Alex from New Jersey says: |
Hi, I fully understand your concerns. Definitely you guys from US face a strong competition from countries like India. But... The indian IT worker has not fault in this. Is the US managers which are finding out that by outsourcing they can report to their boss that they saved some company's money... In doing so he's just keeping his position and good salary with that company. That's the mere truth. So far I am not an Indian IT worker, I am from Europe working for a major US company as a consultant. Here where I am working is great deal of anxiety regarding this situation created from outsourcing. Every one is looking for his back. Everyone just gives exactly as needed info. Is a kind a weird sometimes... . If I'll be in your place I'll definitely raise some concerns to some political leaders. But inteligently I would say. See I am a little bit amazed by the fact that US has so many good universities especially in Computer Science and this country is without "enough IT workers"... There is definitely something to be done by you guys. Fight to promote a better education in IT industry and in raising the interest of younger generation in this type of industry. There is not only IT managers to blame or companies, it should be also a change in the attitude and thinking of the IT worker toward its profession and future. There is a "middle way definitely". All the best, Alex |
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