July 19, 2005
awash in a sea of pink
On July 16, ZDNet reported that HP was to slash 15,000 jobs. The rumors circulated in the article stated:
Analysts, however, have been expecting HP’s Technology and Solutions Group to be the likely recipient of most of the pink slips, as well as services and HP’s research and development spending.
Compare that with the official press release sent out today, July 19:
The majority of staff reductions will come in support functions, such as information technology, human resources and finance. The remainder will be made inside business units, in areas where work can be reduced by improving processes and re-prioritizing existing tasks.
[...]
HP will dissolve the Customer Solutions Group (CSG) - a standalone business group responsible for sales to enterprise, small and medium-size businesses and public-sector customers. It will merge the sales function and related accountability directly into three individual business units - Technology Solutions Group (TSG), Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) and Personal Systems Group (PSG).
No comment, really, other than to point out the obvious fact that the “news” sites aren’t about news so much as they are about getting readership (and selling ad space). If that means peddling rumors that contain a kernel of truth and a lot of speculation, so be it.
In other news, I wonder why people on the inside leak stuff to people on the outside. What possible benefit can they gain?
July 19th, 2005 at 3:47 pm
A sense of self-importance. The same reason that anyone shares a secret. (Unless its for slamming your political opponents that is).