Motivational movements

I'm really playing catchup at the moment. There's a lot of things I'd love to comment on out there, but I'm always late.
Anyway, here's my 2 cents on what's happening to Skype, and why, in general, it's not a particularly good idea to buy a small fast-moving company if you are a large, lumbering one.

Small companies get where they are because of the people, and the people come together to give the company a specific atmosphere and culture; a team spirit.
As the company starts to expand and move faster, decisions are made that begin to affect morale.
Skype was probably starting to implode before Ebay took it over, but it would have been a slower fall.

The thing is, big companies can't help messing with their new family member. It's like the unpopular guy at school and the clique of cool guys. He can buy his way in to the clique, but he is never really accepted. Eventually, the clique fragments and reforms elsewhere.
Or another analogy, if your mum decided she was going to play with you and your friends ('now, first we need to put on our aprons!' ??)
I'm sure Rajiv is a nice guy and smart too, but his mummy-quotient is high!

Here's my list of what's wrong with Skype, chronologically: (many of these are complete conjecture, but based on experience of working in a rapidly expanding European company and being taken over by a large, well-meaning American company! ;)

Expansion of London office and hiring of highly paid people to take roles from lowly paid Tallinn people who did them better.

Abandonment of workforce by leaders more intent on selling the company

Sale of the company to large American organisation with very non-European values

Even more fading out of the leaders, now they have their money

Some bitterness in developers at not receiving a 'fair' cut of the monster sale, more because of people from point 1 being highly optioned.

Decision to go for Video and subsequent resource problems compounded by simultaneous sale. (the 'Why am I working 14 hour days for these guys?' syndrome)

Process changes introduced as a result of the takeover, however needed they are (the apron)

'Help' provided in development by Ebays resources stateside, gradual erosion of control of architecture and development.

Loss of key staff who don't like the shift in control, and/or got their money anyway.

Loss of momentum, giving all the problems and niggles so much more friction.

Shift from a 'can-do' company to a 'can't-do' company.

In the end, Niklas and Janus were very successful, perhaps they reached their end-goal. The people who are still working on the product need to reset their end-goals and have a new vision. Merely reacting to the market and working longer hours will only hasten the departure of the key people. (and remember, those that can, leave. What remains?)

Ebay needs to do something radical to retain the key people who really created Skype , otherwise they need to bite the bullet and take full control internally.
Neither will be easy.

In the end, the primary motivation for Skype has already gone. Skype need to recreate that common sense of purpose, and the broad strategic vision for where they are going.
They probably need it to come from inside, and not from an Ebay plant.

Skype, the company, has fundamentally changed. If it wants to retain its leadership position, it needs to take its people with it. I don't rate it's chances.