Editing Microsoft Corporation (section)

=== Market Outlook: Strengths and Vulnerabilities   ===
At the end of 2013, Microsoft’s competitive positioning presented a nuanced picture of strengths and vulnerabilities. The company’s deep customer relationships, robust cash flows, and dominance in software—particularly with Windows and Office—remained key advantages, solidifying its leadership in the enterprise and consumer markets.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/072516/microsofts-competitive-advantage-inside-look.asp |quote=Microsoft's competitive advantages in 2013 included deep customer relationships, strong cash flows, and a wide range of innovative products and services. }}</ref> Its cloud computing platform, Azure, was gaining traction, while Office 365 Home Premium’s subscription model expanded its reach across 162 markets, signalling a successful pivot towards recurring revenue streams.  

However, Microsoft’s hardware ventures revealed significant challenges. The $900 million inventory adjustment for the Surface RT tablet underscored its struggles to compete with Apple and Google in the consumer hardware space, exposing gaps in product appeal and market strategy.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-900-million-surface-rt-write-down-how-did-this-happen/ |quote=Microsoft took a $900 million inventory adjustment charge for the Surface RT in 2013 due to weak sales, impacting its hardware strategy. }}</ref> The $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia’s devices and services business, intended to bolster its mobile presence, was a bold move but later deemed a strategic misstep due to failed synergies and unmet expectations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/microsofts-acquisition-nokia-strategic-blunder-toriola-mba |quote=The Nokia acquisition was later considered a strategic blunder due to failed synergies and unmet expectations. }}</ref>