Common Sense, Please

Since I wasn't in the now-infamous boardroom myself, I have no way of speculating as to who's really to blame for the sad mess over at Hewlett-Packard. But maybe it's equal parts human nature and what I'll call "the system."

My uber-boss and CRN back-page columnist, Robert Faletra, has written on more than one occasion about the moral responsibility a board must uphold and called for a systemic change in the way boards are selected. I'll echo that and make my own suggestion: Further redefine and separate the roles of chairman and CEO.

That redefinition is actually one agenda behind the change-up at Tech Data coming Oct. 2, when former IBMer and three-time high-tech CEO Bob Dutkowsky takes over that title at the distributor. Steve Raymund, who has served with distinction as CEO for some 20 years, will remain as chairman. During an interview last week with CRN, the two executives said that in this new era of regulatory scrutiny, it makes sense for one person to worry more about day-to-day operations while the other navigates the complex sea of corporate governance—collaborating on strategic vision.

Early this year, Autodesk announced a similar transition, with longtime CEO Carol Bartz stepping aside to become the company's first Executive Chairman and Carl Bass taking up the CEO mantle. Michael Dell, of course, exercised the same thinking when he tapped Kevin Rollins as his successor in the CEO position—although that arrangement was called into question last week when the company revealed a widening investigation by the SEC into its finances.

HP has had a mixed track record when it comes to how it handles these roles. The latest chairman, Patricia Dunn, got the nod after Carly Fiorina was stripped of both titles. Now, HP CEO Mark Hurd is preparing to step up in January, which would concentrate authority in his hands. Why not right now? But with all due respect to what Hurd has managed to accomplish thus far as president and CEO, here's hoping he'll hold the title only a brief time while HP gets its boardroom in order.

Do high-tech companies need more adult supervision or more common sense? E-mail HEATHER CLANCY, Editor at CRN, at [email protected].