14 DAY TRIAL // While the install base of the Windows operating system is approaching the 1 billion milestone at fast pace, a mark that will be achieved by mid 2008, according to estimates from Microsoft, the company is already looking ahead to the next five billion people. While participating at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum Asia 2007 back in April of this year, Chairman Bill Gates announced a consistent expansion of its Unlimited Potential initiative. Microsoft Unlimited Potential refers to the Redmond company's commitment to deliver broad access to technology, training and education opportunities. And pay no mind to the Romanian girl in the picture included in this article, courtesy of Microsoft, which seems to be an aficionado of Solitaire, Unlimited Potential is a program that can actually drive social, technological and economic development.
"Unlimited Potential is a combination of Microsoft business models and solutions and the company's corporate social responsibility programs. Every program is based on a practical partnership with the public sector, companies, and local and global NGOs, and is articulated around three fundamental drivers of economic opportunity: partnerships to transform education, investments to foster local innovation by supporting the growth of our partner ecosystem, and infrastructure-building that stimulates jobs and business opportunities, to counter the brain drain experienced in our area," explained Vah? Torossian, regional vice president for Central and Eastern Europe and vice president of Microsoft International.
But most of all, Unlimited Potential is an investment in people, and not necessarily a philanthropic endeavor. In Redmond company's perspective, people are the most critical resource of any region, and every investment would ultimately end up to benefit the IT environment and Microsoft itself. "I would describe Unlimited Potential as set of initiatives that comprise both a business strategy and a moral strategy in pursuit of social benefits. Certainly, Unlimited Potential is deeply rooted in our commitment to the communities and countries where we operate, and our desire to be a responsible corporate citizen. That said, Microsoft is equally motivated to help speed developing regions' progress towards a true knowledge economy", Torossian added.