Howard Stringer Quotes

Powerful Howard Stringer for Daily Growth

About Howard Stringer

Howard Stringer, born on September 16, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois, is an accomplished author, business executive, and politician who has made significant contributions across various fields. His parents were Japanese immigrants, which gave him a unique perspective that has shaped his career and writings. Stringer's early life was marked by a profound love for books. He graduated from the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Harvard University. However, he would later switch careers to law and politics, eventually becoming a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983. In 1986, Stringer entered the world of business, joining Sony Corporation as a Senior Executive. He rose through the ranks, serving as President and Chief Operating Officer, and ultimately becoming the CEO in 2005. During his tenure at Sony, he oversaw several significant initiatives, including the acquisition of MGM Studios and the development of the PlayStation gaming console. Stringer's literary career took off with the publication of "Defining Vision: The Art & Science of Corporate Restructuring" in 2001, which offers insights into corporate strategy and restructuring. His second book, "A Great Leap Forward: China's Demand for Natural Resources and What It Means for the World," published in 2010, explores the global implications of China's resource demands. Today, Howard Stringer continues to be a respected figure in business and politics, with a lasting impact on both fields and an impressive literary legacy. His works provide valuable insights into corporate strategy, international relations, and the complexities of modern life.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Technology is a tool. It's not good or bad. Nor is it value-neutral. It's what you do with it."

This quote emphasizes that technology, in itself, lacks moral or ethical qualities. It is merely a tool created by humans. However, its impact on society depends on how we choose to utilize it. The decisions we make about the application of technology, whether it contributes positively or negatively, imbue it with values and consequences. Therefore, the value of technology lies not in its inherent properties but in our purposeful use and stewardship.


"Innovation is the essence of competition and the mother of profit in a market economy."

The quote by Howard Stringer emphasizes that innovation is vital for success in competitive markets. Innovation drives competition as it offers unique solutions, products or services that set businesses apart from their competitors. This differentiation leads to profits because consumers are willing to pay for value-added offerings that meet their needs more effectively than existing alternatives. Therefore, investing in innovative ideas and technologies is a key strategy for profitability in a market economy.


"If we are to survive, we must innovate."

The quote by Howard Stringer underscores the importance of innovation for survival in any context. Innovation is the process of creating new ideas or methods, which can lead to improvements and advancements that enable entities (individuals, businesses, societies) to adapt, grow, and thrive in a rapidly changing world. Without it, stagnation and obsolescence become inevitable threats. So, to survive, we must continuously innovate, evolve, and remain competitive in our respective fields.


"The only constant in technology is change."

This quote emphasizes that the fundamental characteristic of technology is its propensity for continuous evolution and transformation. It underscores the importance of adaptability, innovation, and forward-thinking in an environment where advancements are not only expected but also rapid. In essence, it encourages us to embrace change as a constant aspect of our engagement with technology.


"Creativity is at its best when it's focused on solving real problems for people."

This quote emphasizes that creativity thrives most effectively when it is directed towards addressing genuine issues and challenges faced by people. In essence, solving real-world problems provides a fertile ground for unleashing creative potential because it requires innovative thinking to find practical solutions. By focusing on human needs and improving the quality of life, creators can make meaningful impacts and foster innovation that truly matters.


I was very short. Everybody else was two years older in my class, and I had curly hair and was teacher's pet.

- Howard Stringer

Everybody, Very, Curly

For Sony, owning a studio is a gamble and probably a pretty good one, now that in the broadband era having content is a great advantage when you sell devices that in a ubiquitous world of distribution can actually show programs, movies, content directly to the consumer. So that you actually create, in a digital world, real synergy.

- Howard Stringer

Synergy, Studio, Ubiquitous, Directly

In the digital world, he who hesitates is abandoned. So you have to generate 3-D excitement with as many devices as you can find.

- Howard Stringer

Digital, Excitement, Devices, Generate

Free is not an alternative. My company did not turn a profit last year.

- Howard Stringer

Year, Last, Last Year, Profit

The hardest thing about being at Sony was not the travel; it was being divorced from the public and private life I had in New York. Travelling as much as I did, while I didn't lose connection with my friends, I lost a sense of belonging.

- Howard Stringer

Private, About, Had, Sony

Frankly, I was surprised at how generous the Japanese press has been to the idea of a foreigner running Sony.

- Howard Stringer

Running, How, Frankly, Sony

Japan can't get anything on the market very cheaply because it has a large, relatively highly paid workforce which you can't fire.

- Howard Stringer

Very, Which, Cheaply, Workforce

I left the golden age of documentaries to go into the golden days of the 'CBS Evening News.' You could see that the audiences were eroding.

- Howard Stringer

News, Go, Could, Golden Age

Sometimes Hollywood is a small town on the West Coast of America at the furthest point from everywhere else, and that can make it a little provincial and insular.

- Howard Stringer

Small, Hollywood, Furthest, Insular

The energy of the Kennedy years was completely compelling... I had a sense of a generous society eager to change the world. Idealism was very contagious. So that's why I went to America. I didn't intend to stay.

- Howard Stringer

Very, Eager, Compelling, Contagious

The American movie, in part because America's a melting pot, the cultural hodgepodge that America makes, generates movies that have appeal across all international boundaries. And that's really not true for most domestic film industries. It's no longer true of France and Italy, less true than it used to be of the U.K.

- Howard Stringer

American, Movie, Part, Industries

You will see a 3-D movie in a movie theater for the shared experience of it - or for a date, and so on. You don't all sit at home getting your entertainment in a vacuum.

- Howard Stringer

Date, Movie, Shared, Movie Theater

I've played a Nintendo Wii. I don't see it as a competitor. It's more of an expensive niche game device. We're selling a lot of PlayStation 3s now and it's still the best way to buy a Blu-ray player.

- Howard Stringer

Game, Nintendo, Best Way, Device

I get really frustrated during a crisis when I go through all the cable channels and find - very often with the exception of CNN - that I'm not watching news at all. You think, 'Well, God... there are talk shows, talk shows, talk shows and everyone is an expert!'

- Howard Stringer

Exception, Through, Very, Channels

When the digital world is really here, movies can be disseminated from satellite direct to homes and direct to small theaters in Mongolia and northern Russia and obscure places that the market for movies is going to grow and grow and grow.

- Howard Stringer

Small, Digital, Here, Theaters

Content and technology are strange bed fellows. We are joined together. Sometimes we misunderstand each other. But isn't that after all the definition of marriage?

- Howard Stringer

Bed, Other, Joined, Misunderstand

The futures of Crackle and Hulu and so forth become more and more important as we connect to more and more devices. We need our content to make our services as attractive as Apple's or Amazon's or Microsoft's. We're in a brave new world of fierce competition.

- Howard Stringer

Competition, Microsoft, Our, Hulu

Video games lend themselves completely to 3-D.

- Howard Stringer

Games, Themselves, Video, Lend

When color TV arrived, it just sat there and you saw color. I've been to retail stores where there were no 3-D glasses at all and the 3-D images were all blurred. People were coming in and saying, 'I don't want to buy that.' There's a lot of marketing connected to introducing technologies and especially introducing new experiences.

- Howard Stringer

Color, Been, TV, Retail

People are going to like 3-D in their family photos.

- Howard Stringer

Family, Like, Going, Photos

Doesn't anyone here think this sounds like a vision of hell? While we are all competing or dying, when will there be time for sex or music or books? Stop the world, I want to get off.

- Howard Stringer

Hell, Here, While, Sex

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