Farhad Manjoo: ‘Transformation at Yahoo Foiled by Marissa Mayer’s Inability to Bet the Farm’

Farhad Manjoo, writing for the NYT:

Yet the initial success followed by recent sluggishness is beside the point. The larger story of Ms. Mayer’s tenure at Yahoo is one of a transformation so modest it borders on stasis. Over all, Yahoo remains much the same business it was three years ago. It is a far-flung collection of news, entertainment and communications destinations supported by ads. Ms. Mayer was hired to build something novel. Instead, at best, she appears to be building a better Yahoo — with debatable results.

“Inability” to bet the farm might be the wrong word — it could just be “unwillingness”. But I agree with his main point — Yahoo needed a major shake-up, and thus far it hasn’t happened.

★ Thursday, 3 December 2015