With all the hostile takeovers and proxy fights, Silicon Valley looks more like Wall Street — and some say the new attitude is here to stay. The question is: Can the tech companies and their lawyers handle the more combative culture?
Recent headlines illustrate the shift: Oracle’s $8.5 billion conquest of BEA Systems, Microsoft’s $40 billion pursuit of Yahoo and, most recently, Electronic Arts $2 billion bid for Take-Two Interactive. Other tech companies — CNET, Sybase, Transmeta — are also doing battle with hedge funds or other investors seeking at least partial control.
