Microsoft to buy Great Plains
By Erwin Lemuel G. Oliva
Inquirer.net

MICROSOFT Corp. today announced plans of acquiring Great Plains Software Inc., a software firm creating business applications for so-called mid-market customers.

The acquisition will involve Microsoft purchasing shares of stock from Great Plains, valued at approximately $1.1 billion. Each share of Great Plains’ common stock will be exchanged for 1.1 shares of Microsoft common stock. This deal, however, is still subject to more evaluation.

Microsoft Philippines declined to comment when the INQUIRER asked the local subsidiary about the impact of this planned acquisition.

In a statement, Steve Ballmer, president and chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp., says the software company has been Microsoft’s ‘`innovative partners, adding that both have set their eyes on developing business applications for small- and medium-sized companies once the deal is complete."

Once the acquisition is complete, Great Plains will become the Great Plains Division, which is expected to report to Jeff Raikes, Microsoft Group vice president for the productivity and business service group, and David Vaskevitch, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Business Application Division.

As a division under Microsoft, the 19-year-old software firm will continue to develop, market and support its existing business management solutions. However, the firm will begin developing products for Microsoft’s online service for small companies called bCentral, as well as for Microsoft’s .Net next generation software services.