Here’s what really throws me: Every quarter, right around earnings season, we – pundits, analysts and the like – judge and ridicule companies that aren’t growing fast enough to meet Wall Street’s hunger for more more more. We mock companies that are losing races because of their own missteps or lack of foresight. (Microsoft, most recently.) We chastise and leave out to dry those companies who didn’t innovate fast enough to keep up with the changing competitive landscape (RIM, most recently). And we love to hate those that seem to have a Midas Touch and create high-demand, quality products – Apple, every quarter.
And yet, we cry and moan constantly that other countries are kicking our butts in the area of broadband, mobile and other technologies. It’s no wonder. We want companies to grow – but not too much, too fast. We want companies to expand – but only into some areas and not into others. We want companies to use their profits to build overnight growth – but lose patience when they invest in the slow churn of R&D and cry foul when they buy other companies that are already innovating.
What the hell? Can Washington and Wall Street make up their freakin’ minds already? Out here in Silicon Valley, we’re trying to push this country forward and 3,000 miles east of us, they’re trying to push us back. Granted. maybe I’m just some out-of-touch youngster (by Washington’s definition) or old geezer (by Silicon Valley’s definition) but I’ve been given this forum to sound off. So here goes: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/by-picking-on-google-washington-post-shows-why-the-us-is-losing-in-21st-century-business/42756
