Reinventing the Millennium.

Chapter 489 Seeing the Fire from a Clarity (Two in One)

The US corporate headquarters of the Sony Group is located at 550 Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, with a total of 37 floors.

In addition to the exhibition hall on the first floor, the upstairs is Sony's office department.

However, although it is called the Sony Building, it has actually been in use for less than 2 years. It was bought by Sony the year before last and changed the name of the original AT&T Building.

If Fang Zhuo's impression is correct, this building will be sold again after Sony has lost money for several years to improve the company's financial report.

Third-rate companies sell products, second-rate companies sell services, first-rate companies sell standards, and super companies sell buildings.

A global giant like Sony has sold more than one building.

Fang Zhuo suddenly thought of Zhang Chaoyang... um...

If the main business is doing well, it’s better to buy a building early. Yike can also build a building in Shencheng. Well, Sina can build a building in Beijing. Bingxin can also do a good job in Luzhou. As for Yike in New York Well, you can wait for the price of the Sony fracture in the building in front of you.

Stringer noticed Fang Zhuo's sizing eyes and said with a smile, "Fang, this is your second time here."

Fang Zhuo nodded, and smiled back: "Yes, but some people seem to know me, and I saw them looking at me."

Stringer didn't neglect Ms. Yu, who left a good impression on him during the afternoon tea, and replied to Mr. Fang with what he said to her: "Yu, this is your first time here, and you may not know that quite a few of our Sony employees admire Fang very much." .”

"I'm equally amazed by his judgment on players years ago."

"Many people from Sony Electronics have suggested to me to strangle Yike. Such a suggestion comes from the respect from the heart."

Yu Hong was startled, Stringer's tone was very light, but the content was quite cold.

Her face remained unchanged, and she corrected: "Mr. Howard, I have actually been to the Sony Building more times than Mr. Fang. I am the one who will promote the specific cooperation between Yike and Sony Music."

Yu Hong paused for a moment, thinking that the other party had brought up the topic, and she was not abrupt in asking: "Then why did you decide on the cooperation between Sony Music and Yike?"

Stringer looked at the calm Fang Zhuo, and said with a smile, "Fang, why do you think?"

"This sounds scary, but it's hard to say whether Sony can concentrate its strength." Fang Zhuo smiled slightly, "Even if Yike falls, there is still Apple eyeing it. More are still implementing local strategies.”

Stringer showed appreciation.

Fang Zhuo continued: "Sony's corporate strategy is obviously divided into hardware and content. Here in the United States, the latter function is assumed. This is what you are particularly good at, Stringer."

"It's like a merger of Sony Music and Stussman, it's musical content."

"I heard that Sony Pictures is planning to acquire MGM Films. Can it be finalized this year? This is the content of the film and television."

"Music, film and television, Sony's entertainment content strategy is very dazzling under the current decline of the Sony Group as a whole."

Stringer has not only appreciated it, he did not expect the young president to explain Sony so clearly. Regarding the cooperation between Sony Music and Yike, although there was opposition from Sony (USA) Electronics before, it is precisely because he only does The things that I am good at, I just push the boat along and make a decision.

Although Sony (USA) Electronics is under the rule of Sony (USA), but more implementation comes from the meaning of the Sony Group, with a consistent pride in hardware.

Stringer still stayed out of Sony (USA) Electronics' affairs, but ignored their advice and pushed Sony Music backhand.

He has quite a legitimate reason. As Fang Zhuo said, the market is not just Yike and Apple, but simply rejecting Yike will not solve the plight of Sony Electronics. The current problem lies with Sony's local side.

The elevator went up and stopped slowly.

Stringer invited two executives from partner companies into the chairman's office.

In just a few steps, Yu Hongpin uttered the different meanings in his words. Didn’t Fang always have another layer of meaning behind his words——Even if Stringer’s intervention in Sony Electronics is effective, it will not be successful, and continuing his content strategy must be attributed to himself .

Stringer asked the secretary to pour three cups of coffee, and after the secretary gently closed the door and left, he sat in his seat and said calmly: "I respect and thank Mr. Dahe, he made the decision to acquire CBS, and about Sony Group I still agree with this position today.”

CBS is Columbia Films. At that time, Sony spent a lot of money to acquire Columbia. It was through this that Stringer entered Sony and gradually became the chairman of Sony (USA) today.

It can be said that it is through the transformation and promotion of Sony in terms of music and film and television that it has truly become a world-renowned multinational giant.

At that time, it was Norio Ohga, the head of Sony, who made such a strategic plan. He also appointed Stringer, an American from the UK, as the director of the headquarters. This was very groundbreaking for Sony.

"Mr. Dahe's style of running the company is something I like very much." Fang Zhuo replied after taking a sip of his coffee.

Stringer paused when he put down the coffee cup, looked at the young president in astonishment, and couldn't help laughing.

He smiled and looked at Yu Hong, and asked, "Is Fang's style your favorite?"

Yu Hong really didn't understand the meaning of the boss's short sentence, and didn't understand why Stringer was laughing. She didn't have time to think about it, and replied vaguely: "Fang is always the founder of Yike. He led us to the present, Yike and Yike. Fang is always inseparable."

Stringer was noncommittal, and Fang Zhuo said: "Fang, you know Sony very well. I thought young successful people like you would not be interested in the old past."

"There is a saying in Huaxia, learn from the past to know the present, and observe the past." Fang Zhuo translated the meaning slightly, knowing that the topic has progressed to a good level, "The management process of a giant like Sony is something Yike needs to learn and be vigilant about. In particular, the changes of companies in the Internet age will be more rapid."

Stringer nodded: "Fang, what do you think is Sony's problem now?"

Yu Hong wondered in her heart what the boss's answer would be, even though she didn't ask her this question.

However, Fang Zhuo's words were unexpected again.

"Sony lacks a group chairman like you who can firmly hold power." Fang Zhuo opened his mouth and spilled out the matter of Sony Group's successor.

Yu Hong didn't think the boss and Stringer were really familiar with this, but Stringer showed interest instead.

Fang Zhuo continued: "Mr. Idei bears an unshirkable responsibility for the current situation of the Sony Group. I know that Mr. Dahe wants to turn Sony into a company driven by both hardware and content, but wrong decisions over the past few years have made Sony Out of balance."

"In the Internet era, not only dual drivers are needed, but also the integration of the two is needed. This requires a powerful chairman who can squeeze the two."

"Stringer, what do you think?"

Fang Zhuo stared at Stringer.

Stringer didn't avoid Fang Zhuo's gaze, remained silent for a few seconds, and suddenly smiled: "I think Sony really needs to improve its management level, and even more so, a sharp-eyed foreign director like you."

Generally speaking, the management reform that Japanese companies are trying now is to bring in the leaders of several other well-known companies to serve as external directors. Chairman Yotaro Kobayashi and others.

Sony has carried out corporate management reforms, reducing the number of directors and increasing the share of foreign directors, but its foreign directors are all heads of Japanese companies, which is an internal cycle of the Japanese business community.

With such a board structure, Stringer is undoubtedly weak. Even if he holds Sony (USA) in his hands, he cannot shake the strategic direction determined by the board of directors of Sony Group.

Fortunately, the group also knows that the entertainment strategy should be based on the United States, and they are very supportive of Stringer's actions.

But, in other words, it does not support Stringer's actions in other directions.

This situation is turning around with the decline of the group and the performance of the United States.

However, Stringer did not expect that Fang Zhuo seemed to be very clear about Sony's internal context in a few words.

Therefore, he also said a clearer sentence, bluntly saying that Sony, not Sony Music, needs foreign directors.

Once Stringer takes power, Sony's board of directors will inevitably be moved, and it is impossible for candidates for external directors to continue to circulate in the Japanese local business circle. His plan is to select well-known business leaders from the United States.

Speaking of business leaders --

A young business leader who used the Internet to transform the traditional track, a president of a listed company who was famous in Japan for warning Sony a few years ago, a partner who benefited from Sony Music...

This seemed like a good fit.

Despite the difficulties of running for Sony chairman, Stringer did consider what might happen next.

"I think there is a lot of room for cooperation between Yike and Sony." Fang Zhuo was not elated by Stringer's words. He first pointed out his identity as the subject of Yike before continuing, "But if I can I would also be very happy to offer advice from Sony, and I have always been grateful to Sony Music for joining Ike against the Apple camp."

Now, I don't care about Sony's foreign directors. I really want to go because you need advice when Stringer is in power. It is based on our friendship, not Sony.

I, Fang Zhuo, are a person who knows how to reciprocate. At the beginning, you Sony Music stood up, and now if you Stringer speaks, I will definitely help you with this favor.

Stringer understood Fang Zhuo's meaning, and said with a smile: "I will talk to Bertelsmann about the cooperation between Sony Music and them. Yi Ke is willing to join, and it will definitely inject new vitality."

"Well, I also have this confidence." Fang Zhuo agreed, "It's just like Sony Music's confidence in Yike."

There is no stubbornness in the details of the communication between the presidents.

Stringer called his secretary in for coffee, and casually asked about the young president's interest in sports, which Fang Zhuo attributed to the oriental giant Yao Ming's landing in the NBA.

The two took advantage of the opportunity to chat about business operations in sports.

At 05:30 in the afternoon, Fang Zhuo and Yu Hong finished their visit to Sony Building.

The two took the elevator down to the exhibition hall on the first floor. Fang Zhuo didn't leave immediately. He looked around the various Sony products displayed here with great interest.

Yu Hong could only keep her doubts in her heart, and watched movies, game posters and classic prototypes of walkmans with her for a while.

After leaving the building with great difficulty, she immediately went straight to the sentence that made her miss the most.

"Mr. Fang, what's Dahe's style?"

Fang Zhuo pretended to be surprised: "Are you still thinking about this? Norio Ohga, he himself is an art student and has many names. What kind of 'Sony's designer' and 'Father of CD' are different companies home' and so on."

He continued: "But there are others who regard him as the cold north wind."

Today in New York is a light rainy day, which is suitable for afternoon tea.

But now it was getting late, and there was just a gust of clammy cold wind blowing.

Yu Hong felt Ohga Norioo's corporate management style from the boss's words almost immediately.

"Go, go drive." She breathed out, going to drive and chat in the car.

Fang Zhuo stretched out his hand to feel the drizzle in New York, and insisted: "It's good to just walk and chat like this."

Yu Hong hesitated, "What about the car?"

"Stop there, and find someone to drive back when the sun comes out tomorrow." Fang Zhuo and Stringer finalized the cooperation intention today, and he was in a good mood, and he didn't feel troubled by the slightly cold drizzle in New York at dusk.

"Okay." Yu Hong stopped insisting and asked, "He is strict in management? What does this have to do with Stringer? You can't compliment him just because of you."

"The Sony that Dahe controls is the Sony that he acts arbitrarily." Fang Zhuo explained the core point.

Yu Hong was stunned.

Fang Zhuo said with a smile: "It can be said that only those who are congratulated can become directors."

He glanced at Xiao Yu who was thinking, saw the raindrops on her hair, took off her coat and handed it over, and made a metaphor: "For example, I like you, and I let you join the board of directors, that's all."

Yu Hong took the coat unceremoniously and put it on: "Is this a metaphor? If your director can't even understand your words, how can you implement the strategy?"

"Yeah, Stringer is the first American to join Sony's board of directors, and that's because Dahe likes him." Fang Zhuo smiled, "Dahe, he's been in control of Sony for too long, and he's actually ruined Sony. previous operating system."

"Sony's Jing Shenda is responsible for the planning, and Morita Akio is responsible for the implementation. This is the tacit understanding earlier, and it is a dual core."

"Dahe put an end to this situation. He has served as the general manager for more than ten years. He is too powerful."

"In Japanese companies, the general manager actually had more power than the chairman in the past, but in the United States, the CEO is in charge of management. Although Sony has implemented management reforms, its power distribution is still, um, a bit strange."

"I want to remind Stringer to pay attention to this distribution method. I don't know if he can figure out the way. Today is not a good time to go into details. After the Sony Music matter is settled, there will be a chance to communicate in the future."

Fang Zhuo didn't make it too clear, and didn't want to make a long story about it.

"Can Stringer succeed? Can he control Sony as you suggest?" Yu Hong asked with a frown.

"Sony's current situation can't completely push the responsibility to the well. It is because of Dahe's generous mergers and acquisitions that Sony has carried a lot of debt. It has to rely on strict performance and financial assessments to whitewash profits and increase stock prices." Fang Zhuo shook his head. , "Stringer must struggle if he wants to gain power."

"Even if he wins the struggle, his Western-style management may have to continue to make short-term articles on the financial report. This is forced by power. Does Stringer, an American, want to inherit the Sony spirit?"

"Stringer will win, but Sony won't."

Fang Zhuo gave a judgment.

Yu Hong pursed her lips, looked sideways at Fang Zhuo who was thinking in the rain, and asked, "Have you studied Sony a lot?"

"It's okay. If you want to eat, you have to know where it's more delicious." Fang Zhuo smiled, "What's for dinner? You treat, you decide."

"Why is it always my treat?" Yu Hong was puzzled.

"If you want to catch this person, grab his stomach first." Fang Zhuo said solemnly, "Don't you want to invite me?"

"Return your coat, take a taxi, the weather is cold and cold." Yu Hong stretched out her hand to stop the car, "Take a taxi and go back to my car, I don't worry about leaving it there alone."

Fang Zhuo was stunned, come back here?Do you still eat tonight?You won't drive and throw me back alone, will you?

Why is this woman's mind more complicated than that of Sony in the changing situation.

(End of this chapter)