Apple tries to hire the best. Why wouldn't you see if he was interested? Ron left for supposed greener pastures. It didn't work out because he made drastic changes in a short period of time.
I seriously doubt anyone can run Apple retails as well as Ron Johnson.
He was instrumental in building it so he understands what it is all about.
He tried to replicate it at JC Penny and failed so he no doubt learned some valuable lessons.
If he comes back to be as good as he was before, it would be great, but I think he will be better.
Next, I want Scott Forstall back at Apple. We need the veterans to help move Apple forward.
You want Forstall back, the guy responsible for Maps and who Jony Ive can't stand?
In spite of Johnson's former success at Apple, I think it would be a bad move for Apple to re-hire him. He's been pegged as a failure. If Apple scoops him up, I think it will make Apple's management look weak and it will have negative impact on the stock price.
On the other hand, Jobs left Apple, wasn't exactly successful with NeXT (although he was with Pixar) and returned to Apple to be extraordinarily successful, so who knows?
Wrong. I think Wall Street would cheer his return as he proved a solid leader in a critical time during Apples growth. Perfect for getting them ready for their next big thing...Plus the retail market is a different animal than when he left -- Microsoft expanding its presence, Google, now Same-sung... Personally as a stockholder I'd be impressed if they hired him back --
I want Ron to come back. We are bleeding to death, losing long term talented employees daily because we are being managed by J.Crew and Best Buy people.
I want Ron to come back. We are bleeding to death, losing long term talented employees daily because we are being managed by J.Crew and Best Buy people.
Hyperbole much?
What long term talented employees are leaving daily?
After Apple, going anyplace else is downhill.
Look at the guy that this story is about. He went from Apple to working for some cheap clothing retailer.
I agree. Bringing Ron back would be a great idea. The stores need some leadership and he could pick up right where he left off. He did a great job with Apple retail.
IMHO the mistake he made at JC Penney was not testing his concept more extensively before rolling it out. It easier to learn tough lessons in a handful of stores not in all of the stores.
Still, new hires at headquarters, many of them Apple alumni, have staked out cushy workspaces for themselves, ordering posh furnishings and insisting the company replace their PCs with Apple computers and iPads — despite company networks that remain PC-based.
“You can’t coordinate people’s calendars because there are glitches in the Apple software,” one insider said. “The IT people don’t know how to work on them — I think that’s part of the reason they fired a lot of the IT department.”
That's hilarious!
If I were an executive, I would also demand to only use Macs and I would also instantly fire anybody from the IT department that began whining or didn't know how to use a damn Mac.
Yeah, he is tainted merchandise now, however.......Changing a damaged brand like JCP, and renovating the whole mess, is a lot different than going back to something he himself help create. I betcha Tim Cook is looking at this. Not sure the market will like it though. We will see.
He should have tried to prove his retail strategy in a limited amount of stores before rolling it out to all of them. How the shareholders let him get away with not doing this is beyond me.
Yeah, he is tainted merchandise now, however.......Changing a damaged brand like JCP, and renovating the whole mess, is a lot different than going back to something he himself help create. I betcha Tim Cook is looking at this. Not sure the market will like it though. We will see.
I agree. Bringing Ron back would be a great idea. The stores need some leadership and he could pick up right where he left off. He did a great job with Apple retail.
IMHO the mistake he made at JC Penney was not testing his concept more extensively before rolling it out. It easier to learn tough lessons in a handful of stores not in all of the stores.
Apple's retail strategy was successful because of Steve's vision, and the fact that Apple had some of the most desirable products which made people want to go to an Apple store to check them out and then buy them. Ron was just at the right place at the right time and got some of the credit for Apple's retail success.
Ron's JC Penney concept made no sense from the beginning. There was nothing to draw people to a JC Penney store.
Bringing Ron back to Apple would be a big mistake.
The only problem we have at our local store, is its too small. No area for classes etc. (of course, retail in our mall is pretty expensive for classes). However, as my dad who was in the restaurant business for over 30 years used to say "Boy, you make a lot more money in a small restaurant full, than you do in a big restaurant half full."
Our local apple store is so full, you can't hardly move around, on normal days. Not release days. Then, they have ropes and security guards directing traffic.
This post should be marked EDITORIAL. Or better yet, SPECULATION. The other writers on this site have no problem sticking to facts in their stories, while DED continually injects his fanboy opinions/desires into each of his articles.
On second thought, the post belongs in the forums, not on the front page of AI. This doesn't come close to being "news".
Apple is starving these sites of any real news so most stuff these days is just filler, anything to get clicks.
Yeah, he is tainted merchandise now, however.......Changing a damaged brand like JCP, and renovating the whole mess, is a lot different than going back to something he himself help create. I betcha Tim Cook is looking at this. Not sure the market will like it though. We will see.
One learns more from their failures than successes.
You are dead wrong. Jobs funded and created every single business relationship for PIXAR, drove all business decisions and directions of PIXAR, designed their entire Campus, interviewed all key personnel and key leadership while working in a highly driven, competitive and collaborative team environment that both Catmull and Lassetter will tell you doesn't exist without Jobs.
In short, Lassetter and Catmull are worth diddly squat without Jobs and aren't leading Disney at the moment in their respective positions, without the deal Steve brokered with Disney. Neither is Iger for that matter.
Working with such leadership at NeXT and Apple taught me that most of this brilliant talent couldn't open up a lemonade stand and make a dollar without the vision and focus Steve instilled into them.
you always seem to find a way to throw NeXT in the conversation and declare former NeXT employees the most brilliant people to ever grace the earth.
Comments
You kind of missed my point.
You want Forstall back, the guy responsible for Maps and who Jony Ive can't stand?
Apple is being led by veterans.
Wrong. I think Wall Street would cheer his return as he proved a solid leader in a critical time during Apples growth. Perfect for getting them ready for their next big thing...Plus the retail market is a different animal than when he left -- Microsoft expanding its presence, Google, now Same-sung... Personally as a stockholder I'd be impressed if they hired him back --
Quote:
Originally Posted by Throwthatham
I want Ron to come back. We are bleeding to death, losing long term talented employees daily because we are being managed by J.Crew and Best Buy people.
Hyperbole much?
What long term talented employees are leaving daily?
After Apple, going anyplace else is downhill.
Look at the guy that this story is about. He went from Apple to working for some cheap clothing retailer.
Originally Posted by Throwthatham
We are bleeding to death, losing long term talented employees daily because we are being managed by J.Crew and Best Buy people.
What, at Apple?
HA!
Hmmmm.
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/03/23/long-distance-bosses-problem-troubled-store-chain-jc-penney
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/jets_hotels_and_swanky_offices_for_VdnfSPdQJcYd6dG9aDp3EK
IMHO the mistake he made at JC Penney was not testing his concept more extensively before rolling it out. It easier to learn tough lessons in a handful of stores not in all of the stores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WelshDog
Hmmmm.
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/03/23/long-distance-bosses-problem-troubled-store-chain-jc-penney
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/jets_hotels_and_swanky_offices_for_VdnfSPdQJcYd6dG9aDp3EK
I like this part the best:
Still, new hires at headquarters, many of them Apple alumni, have staked out cushy workspaces for themselves, ordering posh furnishings and insisting the company replace their PCs with Apple computers and iPads — despite company networks that remain PC-based.
“You can’t coordinate people’s calendars because there are glitches in the Apple software,” one insider said. “The IT people don’t know how to work on them — I think that’s part of the reason they fired a lot of the IT department.”
That's hilarious!
If I were an executive, I would also demand to only use Macs and I would also instantly fire anybody from the IT department that began whining or didn't know how to use a damn Mac.
Yikes. Terrible and embarrassing, if anywhere near true. That's utterly clueless leadership.
You only burn Apple once.
Quote:
Originally Posted by golfman
I agree. Bringing Ron back would be a great idea. The stores need some leadership and he could pick up right where he left off. He did a great job with Apple retail.
IMHO the mistake he made at JC Penney was not testing his concept more extensively before rolling it out. It easier to learn tough lessons in a handful of stores not in all of the stores.
Apple's retail strategy was successful because of Steve's vision, and the fact that Apple had some of the most desirable products which made people want to go to an Apple store to check them out and then buy them. Ron was just at the right place at the right time and got some of the credit for Apple's retail success.
Ron's JC Penney concept made no sense from the beginning. There was nothing to draw people to a JC Penney store.
Bringing Ron back to Apple would be a big mistake.
The only problem we have at our local store, is its too small. No area for classes etc. (of course, retail in our mall is pretty expensive for classes). However, as my dad who was in the restaurant business for over 30 years used to say "Boy, you make a lot more money in a small restaurant full, than you do in a big restaurant half full."
Our local apple store is so full, you can't hardly move around, on normal days. Not release days. Then, they have ropes and security guards directing traffic.
For apple and share holders, and Tim
Quote:
Originally Posted by rkevwill
Yeah, he is tainted merchandise now, however.......Changing a damaged brand like JCP, and renovating the whole mess, is a lot different than going back to something he himself help create. I betcha Tim Cook is looking at this. Not sure the market will like it though. We will see.
One learns more from their failures than successes.