An Internet company executive was forced to leave his post after causing a public opinion storm due to inappropriate remarks, causing the company's stock price to plummet. This incident has once again raised concerns about corporate culture and the words and actions of executives. A crisis of public opinion triggered by personal remarks not only cost the parties involved, but also dealt a heavy blow to the company. Is there a deeper reason behind this incident? Let's find out.
During the May Day holiday, Baidu's vice president Xuan Jing posted a series of controversial videos on Douyin, remarks about disrespect for employees' family life and incomprehension of departing employees. One of the most controversial sentences is "I approve the employee's resignation in seconds, why should I consider the employee's family, I am not her mother-in-law." This kind of ruthless remarks immediately sparked heated discussions on the Internet, and was severely criticized by netizens for being "cold-blooded" and "lacking human feelings".
With the continuous fermentation of public opinion, Baidu's stock price fell sharply on May 7 and 8, and the total market value of more than 12 billion yuan evaporated in two days. In the face of great pressure, Xuan Jing issued an apology on Moments in the early morning of the 9th, admitting that the inappropriate remarks had caused harm to the company. The turmoil did not subside. In the evening of the same day, there was news that Xuan Jing had resigned from Baidu.
Reasons for resignation
The immediate cause of Xuan Jing's resignation was the crisis of public opinion caused by her inappropriate remarks. But in addition to this, there were some potential pushers who made her leave Baidu eventually. Some of her controversial management styles during her tenure at Huawei were exposed, such as requiring female subordinates to fall in love with media teachers and being harsh to subordinates, which may have been the "last straw" that crushed Xuan Jing.
Xuan Jing inherited the marketing concept of "Brother Sam", which is different from Baidu's corporate culture. The "wolf culture" she trumpets on Douyin is a far cry from the "simple and dependable" values that Baidu promotes. This culture clash may have been one of the main reasons for her eventual departure.
Baidu's top management lost trust in Ms. Xuan's inappropriate remarks and decided to fire her to protect the company's image. According to internal sources, this decision is likely to be made jointly by Baidu CEO Robin Li and his wife Ma Dongmin.
Baidu's dilemma
The occurrence of the Xuan Jing incident reflects some of the difficulties that Baidu is currently facing. The company's advertising business was hit by emerging media, and growth was sluggish. Search ads are being eaten away by new advertising formats such as short videos and live broadcasts, which is a real problem that Baidu must face.
Although Baidu is leading the way in AI technology, commercialization is slow. Although the technology of large-scale model products such as Wenxin Yiyan is good, it has not really translated into considerable benefits, which is also a major challenge for Baidu.
The frequent departure of senior executives and the questioning of the corporate culture have affected Baidu's development to a certain extent. The Jingjing incident has once again pushed Baidu's corporate culture to the forefront, and the company needs to reflect on and improve it in a timely manner.
Reflections and suggestions
From the events of the tranquil, we can see some profound revelations. Corporate executives should always pay attention to their words and deeds, maintain the company's image, and avoid adverse effects on the company due to personal gaffes. Internet companies need to strengthen the construction of corporate culture, unite employee identity, and create a good working atmosphere, which is crucial to attract and retain talent.
Technological innovation is important, but enterprises must also keep pace with the times, constantly innovate business models, and achieve the organic combination of technology and business, so as to achieve sustainable development. For Baidu, how to truly transform artificial intelligence technology into revenue will be a major issue that needs to be solved in the future.