What went wrong for William Razzouk at AOL
Article Abstract:
William J. Razzouk was chief operating officer at America Online (AOL) for four months before he left the company, and most available information seems to indicate that he was simply a poor choice for the AOL. Razzouk's employment ended after a telephone call from AOL CEO Stephen M. Case, even though AOL later released a notice that Razzouk had resigned because he did not want to relocate. Case continues to claim that the parting was mutual, and Razzouk will not comment on his departure, in part because his severance package depends on his keeping quiet about the deal. Razzouk was hired to help AOL retain customers and had a good record at his former employer, Federal Express, for keeping customers satisfied. Insiders say that Razzouk failed to demonstrate the kind of quick results that Case expected. Razzouk's heavy-handed corporate management style was also inappropriate for the casual environment at AOL.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 1996
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At thousands of Web sites, time stands still
Article Abstract:
While hordes of companies and individuals set up Web sites, thousands of sites have have become outdated or abandoned. Of the 30 million pages indexed by Alta Vista, five million have not been altered since early 1996, and over 75,000 pages have not been updated since 1993. Once a site has been created, storing in on a server requires only a small maintenance fee. A Rolling Stones Web site advertises a live cyber-concert that made Internet history three years ago. Even L.L.Bean left a 'Happy Holidays' message on its Web site through most of Feb 1997. Many sites remain in a half-finished limbo, with an all-too-common 'under construction' message. The Mrs. Field's Cookies site has been unfinished since mid-1996, and the Keebler Web site has not changed since Sep 1996. Many companies are finding that establishing a Web presence requires continuing effort.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 1997
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