How Sony Lost Its Way

[jerome27]

Despite its iconic brand, Sony Corp. remains out of step with the rest of the global technology world and its talent for crowd-pleasing innovation has largely evaporated.

A hacking scandal in April that exposed more than 100 million accounts on its online gaming network to possible data theft not only hurt its image but threatens an online strategy meant to unite a disparate corporation and could upset a carefully crafted succession plan for when chief executive Howard Stringer steps down.

It wasn’t so much the security breach itself but the delays in informing customers of the problem and Sony’s subsequent inability to quickly close other weak spots vulnerable to hackers that has left a stain.

“Too big to succeed comes to mind,” a former senior manager involved until recently with Sony’s PlayStation game console told Reuters, declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the comments. “I was at PlayStation, considered the most flexible of the Sony units, but ironically that was crippled by over-secretive IT security, a lack of a coherent management structure and a lot of deadwood at the top. It was harder to work across Sony units than to work with outside partners,” he said.

It isn’t only former insiders who see the magnitude of the problems.

A procession of top executives at U.S. technology companies who spoke at a Reuters Global Technology Summit last week didn’t mince their words when asked about Sony. Robert Glaser, chairman of Internet media software company RealNetworks Inc., likened Stringer’s task of rehabilitating Sony to “introducing capitalism to a Soviet-bloc country after 50 years of communism.”

The erosion of Sony’s standing is a graphic warning of what can happen to technology companies when innovators move on. Back when Sony, led by co-founder Akio Morita, launched the Walkman, it proved an inspiration to the founders of the then little known startup company: Apple Computers....(Continued)

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Sony+los...l#ixzz1NP2vOnVK

 

[Rydian]

Well, just look at ancient Rome.

 

[Slyakin]

I don't think Sony lost their way; They just... snapped.

 

[Nathan Drake]

...more than 100 million...

I stopped reading there for the pure inaccuracy of that statement. At the very least, they could try to do some research before pulling a random number out of their ass.

Over 100 million would have been basically every PS3 customer on the planet. :/

 

[Magmorph]

...more than 100 million...

I stopped reading there for the pure inaccuracy of that statement. At the very least, they could try to do some research before pulling a random number out of their ass.

Over 100 million would have been basically every PS3 customer on the planet. :/

There were 77 million PSN accounts and 24 million SOE accounts.

 

[damedus]

...more than 100 million...

I stopped reading there for the pure inaccuracy of that statement. At the very least, they could try to do some research before pulling a random number out of their ass.

Over 100 million would have been basically every PS3 customer on the planet. :/

There were 77 million PSN accounts and 24 million SOE accounts.

which is more than 100 million plus the small sub companies that are being hacked left and right that belong to sony, it could be coincidence or some people have a bullseye printed on sony's back

 

[TheDarkSeed]

...more than 100 million...

I stopped reading there for the pure inaccuracy of that statement. At the very least, they could try to do some research before pulling a random number out of their ass.

Over 100 million would have been basically every PS3 customer on the planet. :/

There were 77 million PSN accounts and 24 million SOE accounts.

Yeah I caught that too.

It makes me wonder if any of this would've happened if they had left Geohot alone...

 

[MEGAMANTROTSKY]

It makes me wonder if any of this would've happened if they had left Geohot alone...

Maybe a special research project into these events would provide an answer to that question. Until then, all we may have is conjecture.

 

[xist]

I had no idea what Stringer was like before i read that other article about him blaming the Sony disaster on "impending doom", but any guy who's illiterate enough to think "A Brave New World" is a good thing and it's a shame we're not heading towards one deserves the boot.

 

[godreborn]

this isn't the first article to state this, and it won't be the last. sony's lack of innovation is what is making the company stagnant. many of the ceos seem to be oblivious to how things even work in their own divisions. I don't see how any company can function in that fashion. the company is far removed from the walkman days. Jack Tretton and Howard Singer must get millions of dollars just to twiddle their thumbs all day.

 

[xist]

this isn't the first article to state this, and it won't be the last. sony's lack of innovation is what is making the company stagnant. many of the ceos seem to be oblivious to how things even work in their own divisions. I don't see how any company can function in that fashion. the company is far removed from the walkman days. Jack Tretton and Howard Singer must get millions of dollars just to twiddle their thumbs all day.

From your previous points about Sony it's clear you loathe the company anyway. But I disagree that's it's their lack of innovation....take the Sony Walkman range. It's one of the most boring MP3 players around, has a lack of features and the most insane naming scheme ever (more confusing than Starfleet and E Numbers put together). However, sound wise it more than delivers and it's a recommended purchase for people who want a quality listening experience without any spangly extra's. Same goes with Sony TV's....they deliver when it comes to performance.

The problem is that Sony got massively carried away with the PS3 after the PS2 and PS1 and tried to make a console that could replace everything an be a multifunctional experience. Not only was this stupid cost wise (gamers want games primarily) but by assuming that they'd be the lead format again and being a difficult platform to code for, they shot themselves in the foot when it turned out they were in third place.

Sony had to stick with the PS3 and just chucked money at it and forgot about the PSP in the meantime (PSP owners are unlikely to have ever seen a game advert) and ultimately they were done in by their inability to adapt to what people actually want and not what THEY think people want.

Now instead of being humble they're still being arrogant. Bad move...

 

[nando]

i never thought of sony as innovative. their main goal has always been to come up with a proprietary media they can use to grab the world by the balls.