Ben Thompson: belief

Transcript context

…You didn't have any particular access? No access. I had negative access. I felt like in part, because I couldn't write about Microsoft, because I was some pea on there. I think that of my work experience, the Microsoft bit was certainly the most impactful, not just because of what I learned about Microsoft, but just what you learn about big companies (I think) in general. It's very easy on the outside to anthropomorphize these companies, a single entity making decisions and doing what you want and doing what you don't. The reality is it hits thousands and thousands of people. There are massive coordination problems. Everyone has a different take different opinion, which is why the culture stuff is so interesting, which is why the broad shared understanding of what a company is and is not capable of is so important to understanding why companies do what they do, because actually, it tends to be much more impactful than single individuals and definitely single individuals below, like the CEO level. Even then, what constrains the CEOs actions is a pretty significant thing. They had to build a team to get apps for Windows 8. I was responsible for social media other than Facebook and Twitter. So I guess, blogging.…

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