scape workers that AOL purchased the company for its brand name, and even more importantly, for its Netcenter portal. Since the acquisition, many of these employees cashed-out their options and left to start new companies in search of the spirit that they felt when working for Netscape.America Online acquired CompuServe in early 1998 and now offers two different online services under the two brand names. At the time of the acquisition, AOL was known as the "dumbed-down" or consumer friendly Internet service provider. CompuServe, on the other hand, was considered the technology oriented Internet service provider with consumers who were very technology and Internet savvy. Much criticism came from both sides when AOL and CompuServe announced their acquisition decision. AOL fans feared that their user-friendly interface would be corrupted and CompuServe users feared that AOL would attempt to simplify their service and take away the freedom. However, management realized the concerns and did not hamper the services offered to either provider. Instead, they kept the two separate providers separate.In comparison, AOL is more bureaucratic, while CompuServes corporate culture is far more relaxed. AOL did not remove major players in CompuServes operational structure because they realized the value of running a business that catered to the more advanced Internet users, even if this was merely a ploy to improve AOLs image. After the merger, the operational divisions of Web Development and System Support were kept separate, while most corporate support functions were taken over by AOL.Time WarnerContext, Structure, PerformanceTime Warner, Inc. began in 1990 with a merger between Time, Inc. and Warner Communications, Inc. It is now the world's leading media company and operates in the cable television, publishing, film, and music industries. The company has established a history of developing and utilizing the newest innovations. Time Warner...
