Scoble is all over the exploding HP scandal. Management apparently was improperly obtaining phone call data of a board member they didn’t trust, as well as doing the same to reporters – with the orders coming from the CEO.
This is no lightweight thing. The California Attorney General has already said criminal charges are likely. So much for the “HP way”, as another once respected company looks to seriously crater. HP has spent decades building their well-deserved reputation, now some amoral thugs at the top are destroying it – while readying their golden parachutes, no doubt. Hey, they’ll probably need the money to pay lawyers to try to keep them out of prison.
There’s a perhaps unlikely hero here. Legendary venture capitalist and HP board member Tom Perkins was so appalled by this that he forced the issue public then resigned from the board.
HP is stonewalling big time, a remarkably bone-headed move. Looks to me like the entire board will be picked up and smashed against a wall, given their overweening arrogance and stupidity.
It’s yet another example of an economic system gone mad with greed and vindictiveness. Too many CEO’s have the ethics of jackals. It doesn’t need to be this way. Better ways are possible.