Bill Gates Outlines Vision to Help Companies Build the High-Performance Company of Tomorrow
REDMOND, Wash., May 28, 1998 — Today at a gathering of more than 120
Fortune 1,000 CEOs from around the world, Microsoft Corp. Chairman and CEO Bill Gates outlined Microsoft’s vision for how companies can utilize a
“digital nervous system”
to build a
“high-performance company of tomorrow.”
Gates explained how digital nervous system technology can solve challenging business problems, such as reducing costs, improving communications, and responding to competition and globalization.
Gates made his comments at Microsoft’s second annual CEO Summit, May 27-29, in Seattle. The CEO Summit is designed to bring together CEOs from Fortune 1,000 companies worldwide to share best practices and discuss how technology affects business issues. Of the attending CEOs, approximately 65 percent are based in the United States and 35 percent are from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America. They represent more than 35 industries.
In today’s increasingly knowledge-based global economy, businesses succeed because of the intelligence and creativity of their employees. The best companies have developed strong digital nervous systems – electronic systems that provide access to the information people need to solve business and customer problems. By combining the tremendous power of the Internet and the PC and by empowering each worker to support business goals, a digital nervous system helps companies reduce paperwork, make better decisions and improve customer service. The digital nervous system enables companies to integrate processes such as order taking, sales planning, personnel management and project management to take full advantage of the capabilities of the computer that can help them become more competitive, react to unplanned events and improve strategic thinking. The basic components of an effective digital nervous system include access to the Internet, reliable e-mail, a powerful database and powerful line-of-business applications.
Gates’ speech, along with a live NetShow
™
Server broadcast and a transcript of the CEO Summit press conference, will be available on the World Wide Web at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ .
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft and NetShow are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
