Microsoft’s Charles Johnson on America’s strength
- TAGS:Charles Johnson, H-1B, Jobs, Microsoft
- IT TOPICS:Careers, Government & Regulation
In my Editor's Note published today on the topic of the H-1B visa issue, I made reference to a discussion I had on "Bloody Monday" with Charles Johnson, head of Microsoft's worldwide manufacturing sector business. I noted that Johnson had spoken of the value of hiring foreign workers, which was likely to be construed by some readers as an un-American activity.
I ended that column with this admonition: "Foreign workers aren't the enemy, nor are those who hire them. The enemy is the sense of hopelessness that triggers misplaced blame in difficult times. We've always been stronger and braver than that. Let's not lose those attributes when we need them the most."
In this clip from my interview with Johnson, he speaks passionately about the strength of the U.S. and why we shouldn't lose hope. "I think we have to take leadership, and help people realize that innovation, manufacturing operations productivity, can still happen in the U.S. -- and it not only can, it is," he says. "One thing I think is important is that we instill confidence in America, in the CIOs, in manufacturers that we can innovate, we can accelerate better business. We can reduce costs -- it's not a hopeless case. Companies are doing it today."
Free Insider Guide