Summary of Michael Dell & James Kaplan's Play Nice But Win

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

#1 In 2005, Dell was struggling to keep up with the growth of its competitors. The company’s CEO, Kevin Rollins, blamed himself for the shortfall. He said that they had executed poorly on managing overall selling prices.

#2 Dell was beginning to experience headwinds in late 2005, and by 2007 the company had begun a major merger and acquisitions initiative. In 2011, Dell achieved its highest-ever revenue, earnings, operating income, cash flow, and earnings per share.

#3 I was trying to reassure my shareholders that we were not a PC company anymore. We were in four businesses now: the client business, the enterprise data center, our software business, and services, helping companies capture value from all their IT needs.

#4 The business press kept pushing the narrative that Dell equaled PC, and the PC was dying. I believed passionately in everything I told Andy at Aspen, but my wiser side saw an opportunity for the company.

© 2022 IRB Media (Ebook): 9781669386865

Release date

Ebook: 19 April 2022