Microsoft Social Responsibility and Business Ethics
Introduction
It all started in the early 1970’s, when two computer enthusiasts Bill Gates and Paul Allen sees personal computer is the key to the future. In 1975 they established their first company, Traf-O-Data, which sold mostly rudimentary computers that recorded and analyzed traffic data. Then after a year later Gates named their partnership as Micro-soft.
In June 1980, Microsoft got their first break through, when IBM contracted Microsoft to develop languages for the PC operating system. Gates and Allen bought an existing operating system from Seattle Computer Products for $50,000, renamed it to Microsoft Disk-Operating System, and modified for IBM’s purpose. Before doing the job for IBM, they made an agreement that they can sell MS-DOS to other companies also. After a while, MS-DOS became the industry’s leading OS. After the successful of DOS, they continued to work on DOS to convert it to graphical user interface and it would work on top of DOS, making it user-friendly by working with icons rather than commands. They named their new operating system Windows, which was a huge success and it still being used around the Globe even today.
By 2010, with more than 90,000 employees and anticipated year-end revenues of up to $38 billion, Microsoft continued to hold a strong lead in the computer software industry.
Social Responsibility
a. Since 1999, Microsoft has worked closely with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to provide people in dozens of countries with access to technology tools, skills training and other essential services. Microsoft attorneys have also helped dozens of refugees make a fresh start by providing pro bono legal counsel in hearings before U.S. immigration courts.
In 2007, Microsoft launched Unlimited Potential, which brings together the company’s corporate citizenship efforts and many of its business to significantly broaden the reach of technology where the poor neighborhood could not reach.
It all started in the early 1970’s, when two computer enthusiasts Bill Gates and Paul Allen sees personal computer is the key to the future. In 1975 they established their first company, Traf-O-Data, which sold mostly rudimentary computers that recorded and analyzed traffic data. Then after a year later Gates named their partnership as Micro-soft.
In June 1980, Microsoft got their first break through, when IBM contracted Microsoft to develop languages for the PC operating system. Gates and Allen bought an existing operating system from Seattle Computer Products for $50,000, renamed it to Microsoft Disk-Operating System, and modified for IBM’s purpose. Before doing the job for IBM, they made an agreement that they can sell MS-DOS to other companies also. After a while, MS-DOS became the industry’s leading OS. After the successful of DOS, they continued to work on DOS to convert it to graphical user interface and it would work on top of DOS, making it user-friendly by working with icons rather than commands. They named their new operating system Windows, which was a huge success and it still being used around the Globe even today.
By 2010, with more than 90,000 employees and anticipated year-end revenues of up to $38 billion, Microsoft continued to hold a strong lead in the computer software industry.
Social Responsibility
a. Since 1999, Microsoft has worked closely with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to provide people in dozens of countries with access to technology tools, skills training and other essential services. Microsoft attorneys have also helped dozens of refugees make a fresh start by providing pro bono legal counsel in hearings before U.S. immigration courts.
In 2007, Microsoft launched Unlimited Potential, which brings together the company’s corporate citizenship efforts and many of its business to significantly broaden the reach of technology where the poor neighborhood could not reach.