he cannot solve the problem

Big IT companies' problem in lacking of innovations are their middle and front-line managers. Those managers do not have proper knowledge in today's ever changing technologies. They have to defend their domains, so they have tendecy to hire mediocre workers who cannot threat their leadership. Lot of people oriented workers are promoted into managers, which annoyied hard-working and talented technical workers, so they leave and go to startups. The problem is not solvable for big companies. They had best to maintain their products, which can be executed well by people-oriented managers.

This is a dillema for microsoft. To promote innovations, you must allow workers to break ranks and execute something that cannot be supported by managers. And later, you need to promote them over their managers. Otherwise, they see no hope of career advancement, so they leave and no innovation.