Thread regarding Pearson PLC layoffs

Honestly there really is little product innovation out there. Think about it. The textbook is still a damn good model. Its the business model around the textbook that stinks.

I personally believe the Pearson’s and Cengage’s will be death by 1000 cuts.

I’ve been around the block and am long gone from the business that I loved. That business at least for big companies it is gone forever.

I do think it that there are smaller, more innovative companies that don’t have the legacy and costs that Pearson and Cengage have.

That’s were I would be looking.

The big companies are dead in the water. Other than raising prices they have nothing.

Being small right now is a good thing. .

@5rsd+1eU4XXcY You’re not wrong! I’m just saying if Pearson’s staying the course in North America the road is leading to irrelevance. There has not been one shred of sales innovation amidst these several years of the signs all pointing to change being needed. Direct-to-consumer? So we are going to place our company’s financial future in the hands of individual students? That’s as smart as waiting for enrollments trends to turn around.

I don’t have an answer, nor was I suggesting that we no longer sell content, but there’s got to be some sort of additive strategy that propels us forward. Or maybe not!

Thinking differently is what gets you fired. The past 20 years are littered with those carcasses from Apple, or other tech companies.

@4mso+1eU4XXcY I disagree with you, but I get your point. The problem is:

1. Pearson is a publicly-traded company and no way will investors stomach the losses needed to pivot the business to what you describe and there are plenty of companies already doing it because it's their core competency.

2. Schools of all types move at a glacial pace. See #1. Its bureaucratic cat-herding and decade-long committees. Ohio State just dropped a massive project to move their SIS system to the cloud and admitted that they had dumped tens of millions of dollars into the endeavor before giving up.

I don't know exactly what you are suggesting but it is almost certainly way easier said than done, which is why the Pearsons of the world stick to content.

Education is anything but a dying business— as higher ed institutions look to evolve how they are run there is billions and billions of dollars in opportunity.

The problem is Pearson still thinks it’s 2007, but because we have things digital we are evolving with our customers. Constant recycling of old ideas and strategies with new labels and calling it innovation is going to be North Americas downfall. The tragedy is it could have been avoided if not for old guard executives who are unwilling to think differently.

@4rre+1eU4XXcY. Haven't you been paying attention? Education is a GROWTH business. At least that's what all the geniuses in private equity and C suites of large educational companies have been telling us for 15 years.

Heck, I heard Dame Marjorie herself say that Obama getting elected was going to be transformational for Pearson. Take a look at Pearson stock since 2008.

I think we’re in a dying business. If it’s not layoffs now it will be later. Eliminating jobs to offset financials isn’t sustainable.

Why should they care about you? Stop living in la la land. You are in the wrong business. It’s all snakes and scorpions here

Will these incompetent so called executives finally announce layoffs this week, as they stated end of January, or continue to carry on with their reckless "who cares" attitude. Just wait until Friday before quitting time. Let's extend any uncertainty a employee may be feeling right to the last second.How shocking the SEC assessed a fine for misleading investors.

Post from TheLayoff.com

I feel like that always happens.

Post from TheLayoff.com

I wonder if marketing and recruitment will be seeing larger layoffs. However, for a layoff, the Executive team sure is growing.

Pearson just announced U.S. courseware sales down 6% in 4Q. Operating profit up 33% and sales overall up 8%. Unless you are in Higher Ed, you are probably safe.

My group was told it will only be six employees laid off so I wonder where the rest of the cuts will be.