Former Windows Boss Becomes Harvard Professor

By Zak Islam
published

Steven Sinofsky ran Windows division for six years before his departure.

Steven Sinofsky, the former Microsoft employee who ran the Windows division for six years but left after Windows 8's launch, has said he will return to Harvard Business School for a teaching position this spring.

"Excited to return to @HarvardHBS to teach again this spring!" Sinofsky tweeted. "New perspectives, recharge, share experiences, write."

In responding to a question posed to him by a Twitter user, Sinofsky said he intends to teach "product development", in addition to producing articles pertaining to the topic. He said his title will be "Executive in Residence".

Sinofsky was a "visiting scholar" at the school in 1998 and also co-authored a book on organizational management with Marco Iansiti, an HBS professor, entitled "One Strategy: Organization, Planning, and Decision Making."

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's reason for letting go of the former Windows and Windows Live boss was apparently due to him being too divisive.

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Zak Islam
12 Comments Comment from the forums
  • A Bad Day
    Well, have fun. At least in colleges you're less likely to get canned even if you angered some people.

    For example, refusing to curve test grades even if the class average was NEGATIVE 20% and the highest was a positive 40% (remove points for incorrect answers, add points for correct answers).
    Reply
  • memadmax
    "said he intends to teach "product development""
    Correction: "said he intends to teach "crappy product development and how to ignore the consumer while forcing said crappy product down their throats""

    There, that's better.
    Reply
  • davewolfgang
    So let me get this straight...

    ...let's have someone TEACH business who's been out there and FAILED at business...


    Did I get that right????

    Was the Sollidra (or however you spell it) guy not available??
    Reply
  • A Bad Day
    memadmax"said he intends to teach "product development""Correction: "said he intends to teach "crappy product development and how to ignore the consumer while forcing said crappy product down their throats""There, that's better.
    Hey, at least he has work experiences. I bet there are business management professors that never worked in the field they're teaching.
    Reply
  • kittle
    Those who can ... do
    those who cant -- teach
    Reply
  • djscribbles
    memadmax"said he intends to teach "product development""Correction: "said he intends to teach "crappy product development and how to ignore the consumer while forcing said crappy product down their throats""There, that's better.
    Simply because he was in charge of developing a product that is arguably crappy, doesn't necessarily mean he agreed with the direction of the project was following; if he didn't get along with the rest of the company, maybe it's because he thought they were idiots.

    "Ballmer is on this big kick to get different pieces of the company working together and Sinofsky had his middle finger extended," said a former Microsoft executive.
    (From the article linked at the end of this one.
    Reply
  • spentshells
    in other news........frank stallone
    Reply
  • A Bad Day
    memadmax"said he intends to teach "product development""Correction: "said he intends to teach "crappy product development and how to ignore the consumer while forcing said crappy product down their throats""There, that's better.
    When your project group and your boss rebels against you (in this case kicked out), there's only so much you can do with one hand tied behind your back.
    Reply
  • freggo
    "teach "product development" using Windows 8 as an example...

    Yeah, and for that you pay a gazillion $$ to get a Harvard degree.
    Reply
  • darkavenger123
    Isn't this the guy who got fired from MS because of the disastorous Metro UI??
    Reply