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Yahoo's pending reorg: All Bartz has to do is simplify

Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz is reportedly plotting a major reorganization, according to Kara Swisher at BoomTown. Let's hope she simplifies in a big way.
Written by Larry Dignan, Contributor

Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz is reportedly plotting a major reorganization, according to Kara Swisher at BoomTown. Let's hope she simplifies in a big way.

Yahoo feels like it has been reorganizing forever. And guess what happens when you reorg too much? No one has any idea who is in charge.

The media company has done the international and U.S. split. It has grouped things based on publishers and advertisers. Yahoo has also divided the world into quarters. Meanwhile, Yahoo has a lot of turnover. Add it up and Yahoo management structure looks like it has been created by some drunk consultant with too much time on the white board.

Enough already.

The Wall Street Journal reports:

The plan aims to speed up decision-making and give Yahoo products a more consistent appearance by consolidating company-wide functions--like product development and marketing--into standalone groups, people familiar with the matter say. Ms. Bartz has completed a rough blueprint for the organization, these people say, and details are being finalized. The plan could be announced next week, they add.

The new structure underscores Ms. Bartz's belief that the Internet company could benefit from some more top-down management. Much of her plan involves pulling together pieces that have been spread out across the company in order to better focus employees on specific functions.

Top down makes a lot of sense. Bartz's job one is to just simplify things. Yahoo fits the mold of a centrally run organization so just divvy up the duties and roll with it.

Swisher reports:

Most expect Bartz to do a C-level style set-up, with execs like a COO, CTO and also a new, more powerful CMO (who will also head PR), all reporting to her.

In addition, several suggested she might also junk a recent reorg that split the world into four regions. Instead, one exec could head the U.S., where most of Yahoo’s current business is, and one head international efforts.

That sounds pretty simple. So simple that even a simpleton like me could probably draw that one up on the white board.

Also seeYahoo 2.0: Richer ads and a tiny piece of Google’s audience

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