4 Sure Com Site example essay topic

With our economy continuing to sputter, an increasing number of companies both public and private are looking to defend themselves by hiring management executives that have seen hard times before. This new trend may be on to something. Recently, Sam B rothwell, an analyst with Merrill Lynch, spoke to a group of companies and stated that one of the things that he found with most companies is that there is a little bit more gray hair, which he found comforting in today's business place. Due to the unstable market companies are now looking at the more experienced manager when it comes to recruiting top-level management officials. It has not always been this way, however.

Commercials portray Chief Executive Officers as twenty-something hipsters with rose-colored glasses, instead of the sixty-somethings in charcoal suits and gray hair. Take for instance Silicon Valley and its management staffs, quite a few companies were soaked with young people who swore to the company that they had a finger on the pulse of technology. These young people also were quite positive that they could make their company millions. Did it happen? In some cases yes, but in most no.

A lot of companies fail because they do not have long-term business plans, and that comes with experience. Experienced management is also seen as a lure for venture capitalist looking to invest in a company. The experience that people bring to the table makes for stronger funding. Many mistakes made over the past couple of years were the result of youthful indiscretions and would not have been made had a more experienced hand been at the helm. If Computer. com does not show us that the future of management is in the placing of older more experienced management then what will? This is a classic story of young hot shot trying to be more than what he is.

Computer. com sold computers and accessories online, and was headed by Mike Zap olin, a young 32 year-old. He was so confident of his company's success, he spent more than $3 million of $5.8 million in a recent round of venture funding on a trio of television spots on last year's Super Bowl Sunday. When he was asked at that time about the prospects of Computer. com going public, his answer was "we are so down that road" adding that the Super Bowl commercials were "definitely a springboard for an IPO". Somewhere along the fast track the company took a wrong turn. The company never found an audience and did not come close to turning a profit. Even one of its best knows investors, Monster. com, had to agree that the company was struggling and having trouble raising additional funding.

What happened next is one reason why I believe that the future of management is now coming "full circle". January, 4 sure. com announced that it had bought the struggling company and that its co-founders Bruce Martin and Linwood Lacey would be at the helm. These two men along with their staff brought over 100 years worth of experience to the computer industry and were a perfect fit to attempt to save Computer. com. By today's standards this company has indeed survived and has surpassed most expectations.

The fourth quarter reporting in December 2000 reported an increase in sales of 142% without experiencing any service problems. April 2001, the company entered into an exclusive license agreement with first source corp. in order to increase their customer base by double. July 2001, Office Depot announced that it would be acquiring 4 sure. com in hopes to luring customers to their web site to order items not available on the 4 sure. com site. Is the future of management in hiring "middle-aged, white haired men in suits"? Perhaps, but companies should do a personal inventory and make sure that the person they choose to head their company is the right fit. Some cases may call for the younger manager while others may need the experience of a more seasoned leader.