I really hate that the headline references "a Start-Up’s Spirit" when they recently did just about the most technologically and culturally backwards move possible. This is the kind of move that a nimble startup would reject and a slow-moving and backwards big company would embrace.<p>The article cites Yahoo's desire to attempt to compete with top companies for prime talent. Yet they're throwing away the chance on hiring top remote developers and relying on such innovative workforce management techniques as "your butt better physically be in this chair from 9 to 5."
Start up spirit equals:<p>offices are covered in chalkboard paint and whiteboards, for scribbling down ideas and code, and also feature a fully stocked kitchen. They are decorated with posters of software applications the employees admire and aim to compete with. The team has also installed two large television screens for testing app prototypes and has built a game room with club chairs.
I've often thought about these larger companies who superficially try to take up the characteristics that make start-ups great without understanding the underlying cause.<p>I've narrowed it down to a few big reasons, but the number one driver I've come up with is desperation. When you have an ever shrinking runway, a small staff, but a glimmer of hope that there is a way out and a shared vision of some great outcome, that is when you develop a start-up culture. Not by adding snack foods and soft drinks.<p>But then again, this article seems to point to Facebook and Google as having the start-up spirit so clearly they are talking about some other phenomena Yahoo is trying to adopt.
Start-up spirit after 20 years.<p>Hey, we're a startup, take a pay cut and work 80 hour weeks. Here's a free soda. Let's make Yahoo great, we're in this all together. <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2012/07/19/technology/yahoo-ceo-pay/index.htm" rel="nofollow">http://money.cnn.com/2012/07/19/technology/yahoo-ceo-pay/ind...</a>