After reading this thread,http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=142514 - discussing Sony's current downward path. I thought to myself, if I were Sony's CEO, what would I do?

To me the article hints at some flaws and the praises Playstation like its the PS2 or something. I guess the author doesn't follow gaming and is ignorant to the still red-inked PS3 (overall, not today), flop that was the Go, and the very slow start for Vita.

However, back on target, this is what I'd do.

1) Reduce.

Sony absolutely needs to consolidate its offerings. In EVERY category it offers way too many models that simply dilute its possible earnings as they almost create competition within their own brand. I ANY category Sony needs to move down to only two differing models. A base model that is still quality and minimum of the standard features for said product and a premier model that also contains cutting edge technology. By doing this they are greatly reducing their risk, reducing manufacturing costs, maximising margin potential with a focus on simplicity and specialization.

2) Resuse.

The article touches on Sony's stove pipe setup where different business units don't cooperate and seemingly refuse to reuse existing and complementary technologies. This ties into my push for Sony removing itself from 'dedicated' handheld gaming and instead focus on creating a semi-annual Playstation phone that is always top of the technology while remaining singular in offering. Additionally, this should be pushed forward in all their markets with media players that contain PSN access with abilities to play any downloadable games, obviously not games specifically for PS3 or eventually PS4, but always a gen and further back. TVs with similar tech built in and all Android phones with PSN access as well. This should be pivital and critical to Sony as one of their biggest cash holdings is in digital content, from games, music, and movies. Basically, manager internally need to be forced to learn about all aspects of emerging technology and start company-wide programs to brainstorm ideas of how Sony can reuse their IPs.

3) Reward.

This idea focuses on three areas: Company, Employees, and Customers. Customers should be rewarded for loyalty and continued focus on purchasing multiple Sony products. These rewards would be in terms of inter-connectivity, PSN, and actual product rewards of somekind. All generating immediate and future Sony revenue. Employees should be rewarded based on my reuse paragraph where they receive bonuses and prizes for ideas, especially those that turn into products. This pushes the whole to work diligently to seize opportunity. Finally the company is rewarded by all of this happening as it sees higher returns, higher margins, higher company moral, higher productivity, and potentially higher marketshare.

All in all, this is what I'd do if I were Sony's CEO. While its not blatantly specific on any one device, it is broad enough that it could be pushed into every department and product line within Sony.

Easier said than done. Ask yourself, what would consolidation mean? It means getting rid of duplication (ie. layoffs). It means getting rid of product divisions that have created an individual sense of identity (and the products they're really proud of). Implementing the change will be an extreme disruption to Sony and its workers, and its employees will definitely feel disgruntled.

IDK, I can go on. But Jesus, thanks for stating the obvious. Sony's executives have been saying this for years (Howard Stringer), but the difficulty is actually implementing it. Everyone already knows what you're saying. You're just rehashing stuff in articles that have been printed years ago and acting like you're some kind of corporate genius.

So you'd do nothing because you're a defeatist and others have said similar but nothing happened?

Fire my entire marketing dept and put out some good epic game commercials to hype up your large franchises.

In general work with retailers better was in the market for a new TV was all over online went to diff stores and all of them push Samsung and LG tv's, have a Sony outlet pretty close by went there got a sick deal better than any internet price on 55' LCD TV Sony wasnt even on my mind at first when I was thinking about what TV to buy cause they are usually just so much more expensive then the other brands with good names and quality

This applies to games to MS runs so many better promotions with stores to help with sales bundle games gift card etc..

I'm actually impressed by the vision you would put forward to SONY.

However, one of SONY's problems which you haven't addressed is corporate culture. SONY is notorious for isolation between departments. Engineers and scientists don't work toward solutions together but individually. For example their laptops don't use batteries produced by their battery department. Corporate culture is a very difficult thing to change. You have to spend a lot of time and money reorganizing departments, and fight the habits of older employees as well as pursued them to change their habits in the first place.

If it was me, I would sell their technologies that don't make money and focus on the digital space. Sell the TV business. Buy Netflix or other distribution services with good brand names, and replace or combine them with their own, PSN / Quirocity or whatever that is. Something along those lines. Haven't really thought it through.

I tried to touch on the culture change needed with the reuse and reward programs. People are motivated by recogniztion and financial gain, generally speaking. So pushing a new program like that and making it directly part of their annual reviews should begin some sort of change.

I also wouldn't trash entire product lines. Sony is still a powerful electronics name, but its become diluted.

The problem is: Nobody wants to buy these Japanese factories. Labour laws pretty much make it impossible to shut down Japanese factories. Kaz "thinks" he can reshuffle TV workers to other areas, but nowhere near those 10'000 he essentially wants to fire.

love it. i think you've got something here.

I came in on this thread like "ok time to give out some of my suggestions."
Then I read your post and saw all this technical stuff and went "Well fuck me :( "

I'm saying what you're saying is not new. In fact, it's pretty much what Stringer and Kaz have been saying for years, and are trying to do. The reason why it's taking them so long to pull it off is because it's a very difficult and... wait for it... time consuming process.

Basically, you're essentially saying what Sony's critics, and Sony's executives themselves have been saying for years.