I’m catching hints or Microsoft in Amazon’s behavior. Trying to do too much is a recipe for failure. Take for instance Microsoft’s mission statement as Stated by Bill Gates in the 1980s:
“A computer on every desk and in every home running Microsoft software.”
Remarks like that were being Praised in management circles at late as 2006:
http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/2432/power-of-a-clear,-concise-vision
But you Precisely and I know what’s wrong with it. Those two phrases “every desk” and “every office” do not encompass a world of mobile or portable devices. That’s a core reason why Microsoft missed out on smartphones and tablets. It’s usefull why theywere caught flat-footed by the Internet. Those computers Existed Primarily to run “Microsoft software.”
But notice That Gate’s remark is wrong in another way-Those two “everytime” claims. Microsoft wanted to own office and personal computers. It was so focused on driving what happened That it failed to see what was happening outside itself.
Amazon is making similar gaffes, Particularly in the book arena. What it can not own outright, it seeks to dominate. Sometimes That Means it is legitimately charged with bullying. Sometimes it Means notes late to a party and upset to discover That everyone else is going down a different path. . A healthier company would cooprate Those with other paths not compete with or try to buy them out
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Like Microsoft before it. Amazon is ook making enemies among Those with who it must have cooperative relationships, Particularly authors and publishers. Other corporations know better, Boeing-including, Which Also has a heavy presence Seattle.
When I worked for Boeing as a tech writer, I was told something interesting. Boeing, I was informed, Could easily run Its Own passenger and package firm, using notes own aircraft to shuttle people and things between notes major facilities. It’d save time and money. An Boeing executive at the company’s Everett facility (where 747 are assembled) Could show up at 8:15 am and leave on an 8:30 flight to the company’s plant in Wichita, arriving at the facility itself. Could he attend a meeting and return That afternoon. And all that convenience would cost the company less than flying commercial.
Why does not it do that? My informant Explained why. The airlines and package companies were notes to customers. Boeing had the good sense to know that, if it wanted to sell planes to American and UPS, it needed to do a healthy business with them. I could not compete.
Amazon Seems totally unaware or That dynamic. It thinks it can be a print and digital publisher and still have amiable relationships with publishers. Not very realistic.
A publisher does not mind sharing book profits with book retailers. It knows That a healthy market needs bone healing book publishers and retailers to do well. If bookstores are hurting, publishers will soon be hurting. What a publisher does not like is sharing profits notes with a retailer who is ook trying to dominate publishing. Amazon executives may think it’s making clever moves to gain leverage over publishers. Others will think it’s being foolish and making enemies Unnecessarily
-.
I do have one question about Wattpad though. I placedunder a draft of my latest book, Senior Nurse Mentor there:
http://www.wattpad.com/story/34716705
I was impressed by how marvelously has made my Raw text look quite good. But while getting 95 reads, was probably respectable, I’m disappointed That none have commented eventhough I think I know why. My book is serious non-fiction. Nursing morale in many hospitals dreadful. It offers a practical solution.
But Wattpad Seems to be almost Exclusively for fiction. Three of the four “similar stories” found it to mine are about Harry Potter, of all things. The only sense I can make or thats That Their recommendation software must think That the “mentor” is my title is like the wizards of Harry Potter. Weird!
What’s the answer? Wattpad is about fiction. Amazon is flailing about with writeon. Does anyone have a Website That Focuses on non-fiction, Perhaps broken down by area?
That would make sense. Wrong is worse in many ways than bore. Because it’s fact-based, non-fiction needs more prepublication reviews than fiction. But doesnâ Seem to be an Internet-wide way to do that
-Michael W. Perry, Inkling Books
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