EXPECT MORE Microsoft layoffs very shortly but also expect Microsoft to conceal those by hiring people (replacements) in places where wages are a lot cheaper. We heard some rumours about it last month [1, 2, 3] and now, based on the company meeting, it sure seems like Microsoft plans to announce more layoffs, then move the jobs to poorer countries. Their PR "damage control" Fried plays along with Ballmer's spin already:
"'Layoffs' is a very specific word," Ballmer told the paper. "Are we always trimming and remapping? We're always moving people around. We try something, a project doesn't quite work, we'll cut that team, we tell people find a job someplace else in the company. We're going to continue to do that sort of thing."
“They have been moving the jobs to poorer countries as they bump up against H1B limits.”
--"Twitter"Malroy adds that a new comment on the Mini Microsoft blog (accommodated by anonymous Mirosoft staff) is saying: "Back from the company meeting. This has been be my 5th and never witnessed such a cold reception to Ballmer. Is it me or it this disaster CEO performance coming to a head within the company?"
It seems very possible that Microsoft will conceal the reality of layoffs using spin, euphemisms, and generally avoidance of questions about it. The company keeps running into deeper debts [1, 2, 3], which are currently excused as follows:
Companies like Microsoft are raising billions of dollars by issuing bonds at ultra-low interest rates, but few of them are actually spending the money on new factories, equipment or jobs. Instead, they are stockpiling the cash until the economy improves.