Reinventing the Millennium

Olympus is in trouble.

Sony also made a big deal.

According to the news, there may be other big traps, and the limited scope is the investigation of Japanese companies.

Sony chairman Stringer has announced his resignation and bowed to apologize.

Olympus President Tsuyoshi Kikukawa also resigned and was investigated. He also bowed and apologized.

But what the media is most interested in now is whether the WikiLeaks revelations will continue, and what the inside story of the joint investigation between Fobol and the SEC is like.

The leaked documents revealed by WikiLeaks show that they came from these two departments.

There is no new corporate status revealed on the Internet for the time being, and many media have targeted Fobolo and the SEC, asking why the confidential document storage mechanism and financial fraud have not been disclosed.

Then……

Fopole: Huh?

SEC: Huh?

Where are the files missing? When was the joint investigative action taken?

etc!

Did Sony, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, commit financial fraud?

The situation of Olympus is not bad. It is listed in Tokyo. Overseas shareholders who suffered losses due to financial fraud took the class action lawsuit to try to obtain compensation. President Tsuyoshi Kikukawa and other company executives were also investigated by relevant Japanese departments. But Sony is different. It is a company listed in Tokyo and New York.

If Sony commits financial fraud, it will be investigated and severely punished.

However, the SEC is also in a bit of a mess and can't quite figure out the situation. It plans to wait until the end of the weekend to send a letter to Sony, and by the way, ask about Fobolo and the internal situation.

Was the previous joint investigation level too high? Level too low? Because other factors were erased?

For two days over the weekend, the staff within the SEC were quite confused and prepared to wait until Monday for another big fight.

However, on Sunday night, a piece of news suddenly disrupted the attention of many people. Apple officially announced that the company’s founder and chairman Steve Jobs had passed away due to illness.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today. Steve's talent, passion and energy were a source of endless innovation that enriched and improved our lives. The world is a better place because of him."

Jobs rarely appeared in public after this year's Apple conference, and there were occasional reports of his poor health, but it still felt sudden when this moment actually arrived.

Due to this news, many media originally planned headlines about Japanese companies to be replaced by the death of Steve Jobs.

"The Economist" commented: Jobs combined technology with human nature and pursued his inner intuition, thus achieving extraordinary achievements.

"Forbes" commented: Steve Jobs's strong charisma, vision and extraordinary taste cannot be replicated, and there will never be another Steve Jobs in the world.

In addition to the media, many celebrities and the public expressed their condolences on various platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

For example, Xiao Ao, who failed to be elected as the world's best president this year, commented that Jobs was one of the greatest innovative leaders in the United States. He had extraordinary courage to create unique things and changed the world with his fearless spirit.

As an important competitor of Apple mobile phones, the words of Fang Zhuo, the head of Yike, have also become direct quotes in the proposed headlines of many media reports.

Fang Zhuo updated his tweet: Apple has lost its soul.

This tweet also caused dissatisfaction among some Apple fans, who believed that President Yike was damaging the image of Apple products by saying this at this time. However, many Yike fans retorted. Isn't Steve Jobs the soul of Apple?

Fang Zhuo ignored the tidbits that appeared under his tweet.

He just experienced Schmidt's cold and stern style again.

Just when Fang Zhuo saw Schmidt's condolence tweet on Twitter, "Jobs unprecedentedly combined the inspiration of artists and the vision of engineers to build..." and didn't even finish reading it, the phone call came. come over.

"It's a pity that Steve Jobs passed away at this age." Schmidt expressed his attitude in one sentence, and then said, "What do you think Apple's competitiveness will be like in the future?"

Fang Zhuo was silent.

"This is a good opportunity for the development of the Android camp." Schmidt said more bluntly, "Is Yike turning a blind eye to this?"

"Schmitt, it's okay for Google to leave you." Fang Zhuo frowned, "The foundation for Apple's success has been laid. It just depends on how Cook performs."

Schmidt asked: "How will Yi Ke target Cook's performance?"

Fang Zhuo felt helpless and asked: "Would you ask how Samsung competes with Apple for territory?"

"I plan to make a call tomorrow." Schmidt's voice rose slightly. "Whether Samsung or Yike, I think they should seize the opportunity to further compete for the high-end market."

"Cook is capable." Fang Zhuo commented on Cook again, and then said, "Jobs' illness was not hidden, and it was not a sudden incident today. Everyone at Apple has this expectation."

He pondered and said, "But I'm also very curious about Cook's plan and response to Apple. Yike acquired a mobile phone company 'Kesheng' in China this year. I plan to use it to launch mid-to-low-end products in the global market next year. Let’s squeeze in Cook’s response.”

Yike controls Kesheng and plans to use this product line overseas.

This will definitely be interpreted by the outside world as Yike's attempt to dive deeper, and it will also be noticed by Apple, and we can see the changes when the time comes.

Apple's corporate strategy is not static. It has also released a relatively cheap iPhone. If Fang Zhuo remembers correctly, it was an iPhone 5c with an all-plastic body.

Product positioning is like upper, middle and lower. The competitive situation is different. If Apple led by Cook wavers, then it will take advantage of the situation.

However, Fang Zhuo is not very optimistic about the subsequent competition with Apple, because as the volume increases, the controllable supply chain and the ice core that bring cost advantages are more worthy of attention.

But Schmidt was still very satisfied with Mr. Fang's answer. He liked the description of "squeeze". He knew that Mr. Fang was a difficult person in the business field.

Mr. Fang not only pestered his competitors, he also pestered his teammates.

The ecological niche of Google GMS in China...

Schmidt finished the thought that came to his mind just in time.

Before hanging up, he asked another question about a hot topic recently: "Mr. Fang, were you involved in Sony's fraud?"

"Hey, Schmidt, why did you just open your mouth? Didn't you watch Stringer's press conference? He said there was no financial fraud." Fang Zhuo complained, "Also, what do you mean I participated? I just bought some Shares in the Sony Building, is this also called participation?”

Schmidt smiled and said, "Why are you buying shares in someone else's building if you have nothing to do?"

Fang Zhuo was suddenly asked, this...

He thought for a few seconds: "I know that Sony's situation is not very good. I saw it from the predicament of Sony Ericsson's mobile phone, but I don't know that it is so bad that it is really outrageous."

"It's hard to make up the reason, isn't it? You can't just say it smoothly." Schmidt said, "You are an outside director of Sony, but you don't know about it?"

Fang Zhuo asked back: "You were still an external director of our Yike before. Did you play the role of chicken feathers? Do you know the chicken feathers situation?"

Schmidt: "..."

It's not unreasonable for you to say this.

He expressed his emotion: "Sony is afraid that its vitality will be seriously damaged this time. If Sony had come to our Android camp earlier, it might have replaced Samsung in Android today."

"It's very difficult." Fang Zhuo said objectively, "Nobuyuki Idei has made a mess of Sony. The factions within Sony are far more serious than meets the eye. No matter who sits in Stringer's position, he must spend a lot of time. A lot of energy has been spent sorting it out. Of course, if we had made the decision earlier to bet on Android, the situation would have been much better."

Schmidt mentioned a situation back then: "Sony also acquired shares of the Android company together with your Yike. It didn't even make Android. It really... deserves it."

"There's nothing to say. Stringer's situation will definitely not be good in the future." Fang Zhuo sighed.

"Yes, that's it. We look forward to the competition between Yike and Apple." Schmidt planned to end the call, and finally added, "Mr. Fang, don't forget to see if you can get anything else from Sony."

Fang Zhuo rolled his eyes. Schmidt... he always looks at things from the perspective of profit... It's so offensive.

Schmidt on the other side hung up the phone, held his phone, and thought about the development of the Android camp. He once again felt a little sorry for the death of Jobs. Then, thinking of Sony's dismal situation, he suddenly called Mars' voice assistant.

"Siri, Siri, Sony is facing an unprecedented huge loss. How do you think we can save Sony?"

Schmidt awakens Siri's second mode.

Siri replied after three seconds: "Let Fang Zhuo be CEO."

Schmidt was stunned and laughed, OK, OK, we won’t stop until Sony goes bankrupt, right?

He put down his phone, clicked on the favorites tab on his computer browser, refreshed the WikiLeaks interface, and was a little regretful to see that there was no updated content.

Regarding this document leak, Schmidt was also very curious. Buddha and the SEC were actually investigating a group of Japanese companies. Even Sony and Olympus had big problems. Could there be many frauds in the future? ?

Schmidt is very concerned about this matter and has some thoughts on the financial credibility and corporate governance mechanisms of Japanese companies. He feels that this situation may subvert everyone's understanding of this level.

…

On Monday, the news of the death of Apple's founder hit the screen, and underneath this news was the reaction of the secondary market to the stock prices of Sony and Olympus.

Bowing and apologizing cannot boost market confidence, but instead speed up the exit.

In particular, Olympus, Tsuyoshi Kikukawa and others are under investigation for twenty years of fraud, which will most likely lead to the company being forced to delist.

In just one day, Olympus’ stock price fell 29%!

Compared with half a month ago, its market value has evaporated by more than half!

Sony's situation is better, but it also fell 9.4% and is in urgent need of a solution to face public doubts.

That evening, Olympus's new president, Shuichi Takayama, held a press conference in Tokyo, officially admitting once again that the company had been conducting controversial acquisitions since the 1980s to cover up losses in securities investments.

He shifted the responsibility to former chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa and other company executives, saying that although he took over as CEO, he had only just learned of the situation.

Finally, Shuichi Takayama expressed his confidence in working hard to manage and reverse the company's image, and to lead Olympus out of the trough.

This press conference also bowed and apologized a lot, and Shuichi Takayama seemed more sincere than Tsuyoshi Kikukawa.

Fang Zhuo has been relatively active on Twitter recently. He first led the evaluation of CEOs in the last decade, then paid attention to the situation of former Olympus CEO Woodford, and then expressed regret for the death of Steve Jobs.

He commented on Olympus' situation the next day and posted the latest reaction from the secondary market.

Olympus is still falling, and Sony is also continuing to fall.

"The market does not believe in bowing, and everyone is waiting for the Japanese securities regulators to deal with it. Such fraud that has lasted for two decades is really rare. I think the Japanese side should come up with a plan as soon as possible to restore market confidence."

As a world-renowned company leader, Fang Zhuo’s tweets are very popular.

Because of this, his evaluation was attacked by many Japanese netizens.

Fang Zhuo originally wanted to respond, but then he saw a comment and felt it was really hard to reply.

"Mr. Fang, take a look at your stock market."

Fang Zhuo really took a look at the country. The defense battle of 3000 had failed and was diving downwards.

The truth is...

Fang Zhuo could only give up the confrontation with some netizens "without pain".

On October 10, just as Sony was being put under the microscope to take stock of its business situation, WikiLeaks, which had thought there had been no news, updated it again, naming the Japanese company Takata for falsifying airbag data.

As early as 2000, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received complaints that some models using Takata airbags would fly debris when the airbags deployed.

In 2004, internal staff at Takata admitted that they had engaged in some manipulation of test data for ammonium nitrate gas generators.

In 2008, Honda recalled more than 4,000 vehicles equipped with Takata airbags. In the following three years, Takata airbags have gradually cut throats in the United States.

WikiLeaks listed Takata's situation over the past ten years, presented data tests, and described how to modify the data in the voice of internal employees.

As the world's second-largest airbag manufacturer, Takata supplies products to many car brands.

A new Wikipedia revelation was released, related to driving safety, and it quickly became a trending topic.

Takata reacted quickly and immediately denied the content of the Wikipedia report on Twitter, strongly criticized the smear campaign, and claimed that the airbags and seat belts produced by the company met the standards.

Many people, including Fang Zhuo, have discovered a problem...

Um? No, WikiLeaks didn’t mention seat belts...

For a time, public opinion was in an uproar...and again...

From Olympus to Sony to Takata, involving different manufacturers in different fields, what happened to these Japanese companies?

Later, Fang Zhuo received a call from Sony, inviting him, an outside director, to attend a conference call of Sony's board of directors. Japanese companies aside, Stringer's resignation had not been accepted, and Sony was in chaos.