Microsoft Corporation Hostile Take Over of Red Hat Linux Executive Summary3II. Current Marketing Situation4Industry Structure4Product/Product Line and Market position.6Major Customers and Market Segments Served.6Other Products/Product Lines.7III Opportunity and Issue Analysis9SWOT Analysis.9Competitors and Their Strengths and Weaknesses.11IV. Objectives13Sales Objectives13Profit Objectives13Customer Objectives14V. Marketing Strategy14Product Strategy14Pricing Strategy14Distribution Strategy15VI Promotional Strategy Action Programs15VII. Profit and Loss Statement16VIII Controls16IX. Conclusion17X. Bibliography:18 I. Executive SummaryMicrosoft, the leading manufacturer of personal computer software with its windows based operating systems and application software, has decided to expand its influence beyond windows into the Linux freeware operating system world. The means for entry into this rapidly growing segment of the server operating system market is through a takeover of the Red Hat Linux Company. Currently Microsoft Corporation now owns 51% of the stock for Red Hat Linux. This expansion directly into the Linux arena will provide Microsoft with the ability to attack competitors in the network server market with the Windows NT and Windows 2000 operating systems on one flank and with the extremely stable Linux operating system on the other flank. Microsoft expects to use this one-two punch to significantly gain market share in the server market and to shape the future of business LANs, WANs and the internet. Additionally, Microsoft expects to gain a controlling market share of the Linux office application suite with a Linux version of its Microsoft Office application suite. Red Hat Linux is one of the recognized pioneers and leading distributor of the freeware operating system called Linux. Although Red Hat Linux does not have wide name recognition outside of the computer industry, the name is synonymous with Linux among...
