Last Friday’s firing of PeopleSoft CEO Craig Conway by his company’s board could speed up the what looks like an inevitable outcome in the long-running battle Oracle has waged to acquire PeopleSoft.
Conway’s departure as a result of action by his own board looks like good news for Oracle. Many commentators and industry observers are now expecting PeopleSoft to sue for peace and Oracle to win the contest. Pretty good commentary and analysis by eWeek, with links to further content:
eWeek Enterprise Apps | Conway and the Good Fight
When Oracle does close the deal, expect massive changes at PeopleSoft. Oracle has already stated its intention to slash the workforce if they win the battle: some reports have said 6,000 out of 12,000 PeopleSoft employees will go. The fear, uncertainty and doubt in the marketplace should present big opportunities for competitors like SAP, Microsoft and others to maximize their advantages in the turmoil that will ensue.
(Related commentary: Their perception is your reality, my post in early September on Oracle’s tarnished corporate reputation.)