Deep Thinking -- A Sacred Cow?

“Investors who have grown impatient with Yahoo Inc. may have to wait awhile longer to see any pop in its stock.

“The Internet company replaced its chief executive in June and this summer kicked off a strategic review to better position it for a changing online-advertising market and compete with the likes of Google Inc.

“Now, partway through Yahoo's strategic soul-searching, people familiar with the matter say a major overhaul appears unlikely.

“When the Sunnyvale, Calif., company announced lower second-quarter profit and dropped its 2007 forecasts in July, co-founder and new CEO Jerry Yang told analysts that he planned to spend roughly the next 100 days crafting a long-term strategic plan and making any necessary changes to the company's staff and organization…

"’There will be no sacred cows, and we need to move quickly,’ Mr. Yang said in July. He promised a progress report this fall and then ducked out of public sight, declining even to give the standard postearnings media interviews…

"’Jerry Yang and Sue Decker are committed to making significant changes to the way Yahoo operates, and to sharpening its focus on key initiatives that will enable the company to improve its performance and strengthen its position as the most open, vibrant online marketplace for consumers, advertisers and publishers,’ said a company spokeswoman in a statement.

“In the absence of bold strokes, Mr. Yang's other moves are likely to seem much more mundane. The company has hired San Francisco consulting firm Stone Yamashita Partners to help guide its strategic deep-thinking and bring its new management team together. Top executives have convened for Friday off-site meetings over the summer and joined committees on issues such as corporate culture as part of that strategy-consulting process.

“The people familiar with the matter say Mr. Yang has internally played down the significance of the 100-day timeline and that no big strategic announcements are planned at the end of that period next month.”

(“Yahoo's Cautious Course; How Now 'Sacred Cow'? Lack of Major Overhaul Poses Test.” Kevin J. Delaney. Wall Street Journal: September 10, 2007. pg. C.1)

PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT is out; we're back to the founder, so let's call in outside consultants. Surely, they will be in deeper touch with our soul, and more committed to our mission...