Microsoft Outmaneuvers Rivals, Tops ‘Best-Managed’ List

Microsoft is once again outmaneuvering its rival tech companies, claiming the top spot on the Wall Street Journal's (WSJ) Management Top 250 list....
Microsoft Outmaneuvers Rivals, Tops ‘Best-Managed’ List
Written by Matt Milano

Microsoft is once again outmaneuvering its rival tech companies, claiming the top spot on the Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) Management Top 250 list.

The WSJ tasked Claremont Graduate University’s Drucker Institute with compiling the list based on a variety of factors, such as customer satisfaction, employee engagement, innovation, social responsibility, and financial strength. Microsoft topped the list by a wide margin, scoring a total of 98.6. Apple, the second-place company on the list, scored a distant 83.2.

As the WSJ pointed out in its coverage, Microsoft was in the top 10 in every category except customer satisfaction, ranking 519th. While companies certainly strive for high customer satisfaction, Microsoft’s dominance of the desktop computing and productivity markets means the company is not as susceptible to less-than-stellar customer satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s bet on cloud computing continues to pay off, with the company in second place in the industry and continuing to make headway against AWS.

“We continue to have a sharp focus on our people, and while we’re not immune from macro impacts, we feel good about the businesses we are investing in, our position in those markets, and our ability to help customers optimize their IT budgets and cloud spending,” Microsoft’s chief marketing officer, Chris Capossela, told WSJ.

Read More: How Microsoft Is Outmaneuvering Google

Microsoft’s position at the top of the list for the third straight year shows how much the company has adapted to a changed industry and continues to outmaneuver both smaller and younger rivals. Interestingly, Amazon dropped to 8th place on the list, while Alphabet dropped to 24th.

Microsoft’s ability to reinvent itself goes far beyond merely shifting from desktop to cloud computing. The company has been one of the only major Big Tech companies to consistently show a willingness to work with regulators preemptively and make concessions to address antitrust concerns.

The company has also demonstrated an almost startup-like willingness to take big bets, such as beating out Google for Netflix’s ad business despite Google being favored. In that instance, Microsoft showed a willingness to commit to Neflix’s needs, whereas Google tried hedging its bets.

Microsoft has also won praise for its handling of HR matters, commissioning an independent transparency report into its discrimination and harassment policies.

The WSJ’s ranking is just the latest indication that Microsoft’s future continues to be a bright one, with the company continuing to outperform and outmaneuver its rivals.

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