Thursday, January 22, 2009
Microsoft Cutbacks: The 1993 “Shrimp and Weenies” Memo
Reading through Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s annual state-of-the-company memo, with its efficiency improvements, cost reductions and cutbacks in worker benefits, which are already prompting complaints from Microsoft employees, it’s hard not to recall the company/s now-infamous “Shrimp and Weenies” memo. Penned in May of 1993 by Mike Murray, Microsoft’s head of human resources, the message encouraged frugality in the company’s rank and file with this simple message: “One of the reasons we’re successful (and wealthy) is because we’ve been serving weenies (not shrimp) for the past 17 years! No need to change the menu.” Here, in its entirety, is that memo.
