Last year about this time Micheal Dell returned to his CEO post at the company he founded. Under Kevin Rollins’s CEO leadership, Dell’s market share hit a four-year low and growth prospects were grim. Rollins resigned and Dell reclaimed his CEO role.
Last year about this time Howard Schultz sent a memo to his Starbucks executive team challenging them to get smarter about how they are running the company and to get back to the company's core business. Starbucks CEO Jim Donald was charged with driving sales and driving innovation at the company. In 2007, Starbucks stock value fell 48% and the company reported its first every year-over-year drop in customer traffic. Donald is out and Schultz is back as CEO.
The jury is still deliberating on Michael Dell and the turnaround of his company.
The jury is just convening about Howard Schultz and the turnaround of his company.
For the most riveting and rambunctious discussion about this unexpected CEO change-over at Starbucks, read the comments on the Starbucks Gossip blog.
Howard Schultz mirrors Steve Jobs!
Steve did it and has turned Apple around.
If Howard can't do it, no one can.
Posted by: Paul (from Idea Sandbox) | January 08, 2008 at 01:13 AM
P-Dub ... no one fired Howard Schultz (like Jobs was). Howard Schultz didn't start a successful company like Pixar (like Jobs did before being asked to return).
On the other hand, Michael Dell stayed on as Chairman after letting go of CEO duties (like Schultz did). Dell returned to right the ship (like Schultz is now doing).
That's why I compared Schultz to Dell and not to Jobs.
Posted by: johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy) | January 08, 2008 at 06:39 AM
Indeed. The comparison with Michael Dell is more apt. In after hours trading, Starbucks stock regained is momentum rising about 9% on this news alone.
Posted by: Canadian Dollars | January 08, 2008 at 07:08 AM
My prediction is that we will continue to see older leadership make a comeback. We are leaning towards conservative leadership.
Posted by: Shama Hyder | January 08, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Shama ... is "conservative" leadership what SBUX needs? To right the SBUX ship they will need to make aggressive actions.
Admittedly, many of those aggressive actions SBUX needs to make will be vintage moves around focusing on COFFEE.
Posted by: johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy) | January 08, 2008 at 06:33 PM
Starbucks came into the market and sold us coffee house nostalgia. It's no wonder they're now offering us CEO nostalgia. Still, I think I'd rather sit with my laptop in a place that doesn't smell of french fries and hamburgers.
Posted by: Leora Krygier | January 08, 2008 at 08:22 PM
the long-term strategies and planning of dell is very use full by using techniques dell achieve its goals and reach its target marketing... i impressed its marketing strategies....
Posted by: used computer | June 17, 2009 at 07:47 AM