Mgmt Memo

Summary:

This September 1983 edition of the Mgmt Memo primarily focuses on the success and strategic takeaways from Digital’s first worldwide marketing and sales symposium. Key highlights include:

• Corporate Strategy: President Ken Olsen emphasizes a commitment to quality and the "discerning customer" over the consumer market. The company aims to leverage its strengths in interconnectivity and networking across its diverse product lines (from personal computers to VAX clusters).
• Sales and Market Outlook: Despite recent economic challenges, the company reports a growing order rate and backlog. Leadership expresses confidence that new products and the "DECtown" showcase have positioned Digital for a successful fiscal year.

• Organizational Updates:

  • Personnel Changes: Al Crawford joins Corporate Marketing Finance and Planning; Andy Knowles resigns to pursue personal interests; Gale Morgan is named head of the new AI Marketing Group; Grant Saviers takes charge of Storage Systems.
  • European Reorganization: Efforts are underway to improve organizational effectiveness in Europe under Sheldon Davis.
  • Educational Services: The department has reorganized into three specific business units (Services, Products, and Systems) to better target market opportunities.

• Company Culture: The memo notes the tragic loss of employee Robin Siu in the Korean Air Lines flight #007 crash and highlights the company’s pride in its Employee Assistance Program, which was recently featured in Newsweek.

• Internal Communication: Digital is rolling out a new "Managers' Employee Communication Plan" to facilitate better information flow and two-way communication between management and staff.