The Pros And Cons Of Microsoft's Acquisition Of Linkedin

In June of this year, Microsoft acquired the world’s largest professional network, LinkedIn for an estimated $26.2 Billion. This is the largest acquisition to date for Microsoft, and they hope that it will greatly benefit both companies (who have both been struggling recently). One of the main advantages of this acquisition is the integration of LinkedIn’s professional network with Microsoft’s Office suite. This would be particularly beneficial if for example you had a meeting set in your calendar using Microsoft’s Outlook, and could directly view LinkedIn’s network to view who you were meeting with, what company they work for, what skills/certifications they hold, etc. Also, LinkedIn’s recent acquisition of Lynda.com (a network of training videos) would be extremely beneficial if for example, a user could be using Microsoft Word or Excel, and easily …show more content…
This is particularly true in Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn. Both companies already have strong core competencies; LinkedIn’s network of 433 million users, as well as their ownership of the Lynda.com video tutorial library, and Microsoft’s 1.2 billion Office users. Most people in the business world use both of these platforms in some capacity so to integrate LinkedIn’s network and tutorial library into a program that most workers already use would be not only beneficial but would create a new core competency for both companies and also open up both companies to new market opportunities. The strategy most likely driving this acquisition is the gaining quick access to new technologies or complementary resources and capabilities. Microsoft and LinkedIn complement each’s other services greatly. Both companies have a similar mission centered on empowering people and