Can HP Afford to Abandon Consumer Markets?

As the new HP CEO, Meg Whitman faces a difficult situation, as have all recent HP CEOs. HP has a strong set of enterprise and consumer products, with a brand that is known both in consumer and business markets.

One might argue HP should give up on the consumer markets. But that might be as dangerous as straddling the market. Consumer technology is strongly shaping enterprise computing and application trends. If HP gives up its consumer focus, it might be at a disadvantage.

Virtually nobody thinks HP can afford to give up its enterprise focus, so that isn't an issue. The issue is how strategic a consumer focus of some sort might be, for success in the enterprise markets.

HP: Keep PCs, consumer units