Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has issued a generally upbeat annual message to staff, but warned that costs will have to be controlled.
Various international media reports noted that Ballmer`s annual state-of-the-company e-mail to the company`s 57 000 staff members yesterday was positive about growth potential. He is quoted as saying the PC industry, and with it Microsoft, were in the growth business, and he predicted that the number of PCs in use worldwide would grow by 60% to one billion by 2010.
However, he noted that the company`s costs had increased faster than its revenues over the past three years. "This is obviously not a trend we can continue." Ballmer said the company`s belt-tightening would aim to achieve $1 billion in efficiency improvement and cost reduction.
Ballmer said Microsoft had to behave more like the mature company it had become to reduce scrutiny from anti-trust regulators and pressure from investors.
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