WSJ Confirms Palm layoffs amidst Rubenstein reorg
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Dec 13th 2007 3:11AM
posted Dec 13th 2007 3:11AM
In a piece carried by the Wall Street Journal detailing the Jon Rubenstein-era shake-up at Palm, we get the first confirmation of Wednesday's layoff rumor. According to the WSJ, "Yesterday, Palm made some reassignments and staff reductions." The article does not cite specific numbers. Regardless, our hearts go out to those who received this unfortunately timed news. Given Palm's long, steady trudge towards obscurity, couldn't this have waited just a few more weeks? Read [subscription required]
Why is it a bad thing if a company is reorganizing and reducing it's cost base?
This way the may succeed, may prepare themselves for a sale, but they definitely won't go under fat with jobs-for-life staffers bleeding the company dry.
Congrats Palm - a brave move!
...says the person who obviously is neither a Palm employee not knows anyone who is (fortunately, I fall into the same categories).
Layoffs and staff reductions are a part of the corporate world. That's understood. But that doesn't mean it's a good thing. Maybe the company will become more financtially stable as a result of this. However, I find it interesting that, usually in these cases, the people who are high up enough on the corporate ladder to make the decisions that land the company in financial hardships in the first place are usually not the ones affected with job loss.
No doubt Omagus is right.
But if we take out the ethically aspect out of the equation, Engadget is harping a bit too much on this and completely ignoring history.
Read this article from Cnet from 2001--the parallels are eerie. It's not like Palm hasn't been through this before--change has to start somewhere.
http://www.news.com/2100-1040-276107.html