Careers at HP

Mission

HP’s mission is to provide products, services, and solutions of the highest quality.

Business segments

HP, Inc. is a technology company that provides hardware, software, and other solutions. The company maintains three reportable business segments:

  • Personal Systems – This segment includes consumer personal computers (PCs), commercial PCs, thin client PCs, tablets, workstations, retail point-of-sale systems, calculators and related accessories, software, and support/services.
  • Printing – This segment includes commercial and consumer printer hardware, media, supplies, software and services, and scanning devices.
  • Corporate Investments – This segment includes HP Labs (facilities that conduct R&D), various enterprise-related business incubation projects, and venture-focused minority investments.

History

HP, Inc. is one of the two companies that resulted from the splitting up of Hewlett-Packard in November 2015; the other was Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which focuses on products/services for businesses. Hewlett-Packard originated in Palo Alto, California. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard were Stanford University graduates with degrees in Electrical Engineering. Being entrepreneurial, they decided to start their own company. In 1939, at the tail end of the Great Depression, and with an initial investment of $538, they launched Hewlett-Packard.

Their first commercially successful offering was a precision audio oscillator called the Model HP200A; its innovation was the inclusion of a small incandescent light bulb (commonly known as a “pilot light“). One of their first customers was Walt Disney Productions, which purchased eight of their Model 200B oscillators. During World War II they developed artillery shell fuses and counter-radar technology, enabling Packard to be exempt from the draft (but not Hewlett).

Hewlett-Packard’s success enabled it to go public in 1957. The next decade saw many milestones. The company established HP Associates in 1960, a division that created semiconductor devices, which were used in devices such as calculators. In 1966 it joined the computer industry with the release of the HP 1000 and HP 2100 lines of minicomputers. In 1968 it unveiled what was referred to by Wired magazine as the world’s first personal computer, the Hewlett-Packard 9100A, for $5,000.

Over the next few decades Hewlett-Packard’s market dominance grew with the introduction of several new innovations. These included the first handheld scientific electronic calculator, the HP-35 (1972); laser and inkjet printers for desktop computers (1984); and the website hpshopping.com, used to sell products directly to consumers online (late 1990s). The company grew through numerous acquisitions. It held status as the top PC manufacturer from 2007 to 2013. In 2015 it split to form Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP, Inc. HP has generated the most sales of the two.

Benefits at HP

Business model of HP

Customer Segments

HP has a mass market business model, with no significant differentiation between customers. Its customer segments are consumers, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and large enterprises, including organizations in the education, health, and government sectors.

Value Proposition

HP offers three primary value propositions: innovation, accessibility, and brand/status.

The company has built innovation into its culture. It has been responsible for many industry “firsts”, ranging from scientific calculators to laser printers. In addition to the R&D groups it operates within individual business segments, it maintains HP Labs, facilities dedicated to brainstorming and developing groundbreaking technology solutions.

The company has placed a strong emphasis on product accessibility. It maintains a specific policy that says it is “committed to providing products and services that are accessible for people with disabilities,“ a part of its diversity imperative. It designs the offerings to be used on a standalone basis or in conjunction with assistive devices. Examples of HP’s efforts include designing switches, buttons, and controls to enable ease of access and using effective contrast levels on product text.

The company has a powerful brand. It was one of the first personal computer providers, so it is well-established. It was also the top PC manufacturer in the world for six years (2007 to 2013). Finally, it has received many honors from prestigious sources, including recognition as one of the “World’s Most Valuable Brands” (Forbes), one of the “Best Global Brands” (Interbrand), one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Brands” (CoreBrand), and one of the “50 Most Innovative Companies” (BCG).

Channels

HP’s main channels for individual consumers and SMBs are its website and major retailers (e.g., Best Buy) at which it sells its products. For large enterprises, it assigns a dedicated account manager for purchases. Other channels it uses include resellers and independent software vendors (ISVs).

Customer Relationships

HP’s customer relationship is primarily of a self-service nature. Customers utilize its products and services while having limited interaction with employees. The company’s website includes various self-help resources, including videos and answers to commonly asked questions. That said, there is a community component in the form of forums where peers lend advice and a personal assistance element in the form of phone and live chat support, and training and certification programs.

Key Activities

HP’s business model entails designing and developing its products and services. It utilizes outsourced manufacturers (OMs) for the production of its offerings in an effort to reduce costs and time-to-market; they are primarily located in Asia.

Key Partners

HP maintains the following key partnerships:

  • Retail chains that sell its products through their brick-and-mortar outlets or websites
  • Resellers that sell its products and services to specific customer groups
  • Distribution partners that supply its products to resellers
  • Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that incorporate its products/services into their own solutions and then sell the combined offering
  • Independent software vendors (ISVs) that sell its products and services to their clients
  • Systems integrators that offer their expertise in the sale of its products and services
  • Advisory firms that offer IT and management consulting services utilizing HP products/services

Key Resources

HP’s main resource is its engineering staff, whose members engage in significant research and development efforts to produce regular new innovations. An important physical resource is its group of HP Labs. The company places a high priority on its intellectual property, and as of October 2015 it has over 18,000 patents. Lastly, its customer service staff members are essential for support.

Cost Structure

HP has a cost-driven structure, aiming to minimize expenses through low-price value propositions. Its biggest cost driver is cost of products, a variable expense. Other major drivers are cost of services (a variable cost), selling/administrative costs (fixed cost), and research and development costs (fixed).

Revenue Streams

HP has three revenue streams:

Products – The company generates revenue from the sale of hardware and software products.

Services – The company generates revenue from maintenance and support contracts, as well as well as the sale of outsourcing services.

Licensing – The company generates revenue from the sale of perpetual software licenses.

Our team

Dion Weisler,
President and CEO

info: Dion earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computing from Monash University in Australia. He previously served as SVP of Printing and Personal Systems for the Asia-Pacific at Hewlett-Packard, as well as COO of Lenovo’s Internet Digital Home groups.

Jon Flaxman,
Chief Operating Officer

info: Jon earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He previously served as SVP and CFO for Hewlett-Packard‘s Printing and Personal Systems Group.

Cathie Lesjak,
Chief Financial Officer

info: Cathie earned a B.S. from Stanford University and an MBA from University of California, Berkeley. She previously served as SVP and Treasurer of Hewlett-Packard, as well as an interim CEO. She oversees all aspects of the firm’s financial processes.

Shane D. Wall,
Chief Technology Officer and Global Head of HP Labs

info: Shane earned a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Oregon State University and an MBA from Northwestern University. He previously worked as an executive at Intel. He leads HP’s technology strategy and vision.