Background
Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in April of 1975. According to the company’s NAICS code, the corporation primarily participates in the production and distribution of computer related software. Their revenue stream for 1975 was approximately 16,000 and they had a total of three employees.
Bill Gates served as the CEO for Microsoft until 2000 and is one of the wealthiest people in the world. He is well known for his philanthropy.
Microsoft Corporation has 118,000 full time employees. Their price per share is 47.51. They are headquartered in the state of Washington. In 2014, the company reported approximately 93 billion in revenue (Microsoft corporation, 2015).
In addition to the Windows operating system, …show more content…
There is a scrolling product bar that shows new products and updates from the company. Despite the fact the website is simple, the overall aesthetic feels boxy and crowded. The images are crisp and vivid, but the grey background takes away from their clarity. The navigation menu is divided into store, products, and support. Once these parent links are clicked, more options are available. There are a lot of things to choose from, and is not as organized as it could be. It feels busy and overwhelming.
Annual reports
Microsoft Corporation’s annual reports are easily found on their website. The 2014 annual report is divided into sections and is a breeze to navigate. Each separate section of the report is marked by a vivid image of a really good-looking person using a Microsoft product. The letter from the CEO to his shareholders is humble and hopeful (Microsoft, 2014).
Press releases
The totals vary, but at least once a month, Microsoft issues a press release. The press releases talk about various product updates, new employees, quarterly earnings, new partnerships, and community involvement related news. Microsoft follows a particular formula for every press release. They discuss the subject matter outlined by the title and one to two paragraphs in they get a quote from someone higher up in the Microsoft family. Microsoft also utilizes citations in their releases to further clarify product …show more content…
Their websites share the same functionality, but Microsoft’s site comes off more complex and burdensome. When annual report styles are compared, Microsoft has the advantage. Their annual reports are readily available and easy to navigate. On the other hand, Apple showcases their annual report as the 10-K submitted to the SEC. The two companies share similar press release styles, and both follow the same basic format. Most of the releases are on new products, with a few being on community initiatives. Apple’s advertisements focus on beautiful products, whereas Microsoft advertisements teeter between their products and the people who use them. Apple has the clear upper hand here. Microsoft has struggled with their PR image. The Antitrust trial and missteps with product launching allowed Apple to take the upper hand in PR relations. However, Microsoft is more involved in community outreach