Even without Larry, Oracle’s Problems Will Continue

Oracle Corporation, an American multinational organization set up in 1977 is world renowned for creating and promoting computer hardware systems as well as enterprise software products. It comes at the second position in the world as a manufacturer of software. Recently it is surrounded by various problems with fewer solutions to curb them. When Mr. Larry Ellison stepped down from the position of CEO to Executive Chairman in September 2014, Oracle apparently caught excessive attention from several corners of the world.  While most of the people believe this move can do anything but reduce the problems of Oracle, here is the list of the issues the organization has been fighting since quite a long time.

It is high time that Oracle Corporation shifts its focus from the hardware business to other domains. It needs to discuss increased margin lines and strategic proposals. At a time when people are opting for state-of-the-art technology, Oracle cannot work on something that it desires. It instead should face real time demands to be able to survive. Mark Hurd who will now be at the helm of the hardware business has also been cited to be one of the reasons why the hardware division is expected to gain increased attention. As a result, the enterprise software and cloud (which need more attention) will be overshadowed by the active bustling of the hardware business.

Oracle Corporation is in a position where it needs to give due consideration to the software business. With the RDBMS business sliding down, the organization needs to conduct a rain on its survival mode. Some experts are awaiting a brand new launch of the flagship DBMS as if that will reduce the challenge from a growing market (which has increased demands for no-SQL and unstructured databases in place of the traditional transactions). The company is still breathing through the conservative way! This needs to be changed. Further it is losing its grip in the software avenue – mostly due to the overemphasis on the hardware division.

Over the years, Oracle Corporation has been giving too much importance to lawyering and too less value to customer satisfaction. This is practically what has been hitting hard on the organization too. One of its popular cases has been that with the State of Oregon. The company pre-emptively took legal action against the State of Oregon since Oracle Consulting failed in successfully implementing Oregon’s website (ACA). This is completely reverse of an ordinary case where the vendor approaches the court quite before the client!

Oracle has also been quite in the news for making customer hostile contracts of sale. There are various instances where the contracts of the customers who have approached the organization for some or the other acquisition were unilaterally altered in the favour of Oracle Corporation.

With Larry Ellison in the Executive Chairman’s seat and Mark Hurd and Safra Catz handed over the baton for bigger responsibilities there are fewer chances of any change expected in the culture at Oracle Corporation.