There has long been the need to better coordinate and execute a cohesive master strategy
between all of Sony's many business units - but usually that is the job of the CEO . To set up a new division to do that sounds like it could become problematic. There is a reason why a ship has only one captain. It will be interesting to monitor how this approach to maximizing the synergies through what sounds like a committee approach works out. Maybe it will work. but it sounds inefficient...as though Sony has become too large for its own good. I hope I am proven wrong.

It says in the article Kaz will also be leading SNEI so where's the conflict for the Captain role?

It is the concept of setting up an entire division that is not a profit center only a command and control center that is the problem. Why should Sony go to the expense of creating yet another division - especially one that produces no product and serves only to coordinate strategy? Unless the idea is to fold the reporting divisions into the new command and thus restructure. Ever heard of a captain in command of two ships at the same time, David?

You mean like a commodore?

Honestly Sony makes so much stuff at this point they cant have a single person set a direction. honestly your vision for video cameras is gonna be different than your vision for video games.

unified digital distribution of media could be a major boon for Sony media products (tvs, and the boxes that go with them). I don't think camcorders, semi-conductors and batteries are going to benefit much from digital distribution stratagems.

They Sony CEO isn't the captain of two ships he's the commander and chief of an entire company. He needs to delegate power to other units.

(Sony is too large for the CEO to take a traditional role. I suppose they are trying to find an alternative to breaking up the company in to smaller more manageable parts.)