Is Google really in a bad position? Microsoft? Others who are doing layoffs? Or can they do them, bring down expenses, and juice the stock price under the cover of "everyone is doing it"? I don't know, but it is a bit head-scratching (to me at least) that profitable companies would be doing double-digit percentage layoffs
Note: I’m not supporting this and I’m not saying I think this is a good move; I’m just observing there may be this more subtle logic at work, in the minds of management making these decisions.
I think companies, especially Google, should have thought about the implications of massive hiring associated with things like X, then shutting them down en mass creating a situation where you have staff playing musical chairs trying to find a place to land.