Are You Preparing for a Recession?
Here in panic nation, with the sub-prime mortgage fiasco and the resulting
credit crunch leaving blocks of houses empty, and the stock market tanking like
the Cowboys in a playoff game, all the talk is starting to boil down to one
word: recession.
The signs
of an economic slowdown are everywhere, and presidential candidates are
starting to address the issue -- and when politicians wake up and realize that
something's going on, that's when you know that whatever it is they're talking
about is at an advanced stage and is very much upon us.
We don't often venture outside the realm of Microsoft and industry news here
at RCPU -- and we're hardly economists, although we sometimes read The Economist
-- but the "r" word, should it come to pass, would have implications
for everybody reading (and writing) this newsletter. The question is whether
you're prepared for a recession, or at least for some tough times ahead.
Now, as Microsoft partners, maybe you're not in panic mode, and maybe you shouldn't
be. After all, one of RCPU's principal laws of the universe is that no matter
what happens, Microsoft just keeps making money. But the credit crunch might
already have your business in a bit of a bind, and any sort of economic downturn
that eventually affects IT spending could make the sledding all that much tougher.
So, as we sometimes like to do here, we're turning the floor over to you on
this one. Tell us: Are you preparing for a recession, or at least for tough
times ahead? What are you doing to prepare? How much would a recession affect
your business?
As always, direct your answers to [email protected].
If we get any in time, we'll run some tomorrow. Otherwise, look for responses
in this space next week.
Oh, and totally off-topic for this entry but very much on-topic for RCPU, the
Microsoft
executive exodus continued this week with the departure
of Rob Short, an important guy from the Core Operating System Division .
And one departing Microsoft exec might literally
buy the farm.
Posted by Lee Pender on January 16, 2008