I think this is a followup question to the "How has the board not been replaced yet" question. To your question I present three possible explanations: - The board knew in advance that it was risky to switch to Windows Phone and that the point of return would be passed before the success of the strategy could be confirmed with Windows 8. Basically an all or nothing strategy from day one. This is compatible with "Plan B is to make Plan A work". This is irreversible. - The board is just too darn stubborn or enchanted to admit failure. This is horrible but still common and can be reversible if addressed in time. - The board don't want to kick the scapegoat CEO before he has cut down Nokia to the size they want to rebuild from. This would be cowardly and cynical but can still be a valid strategy for a huge corporation that finds itself with mainly outdated/ "wrong" resources. I don't think no. 3 could be a main reason, but it can be a combination of all three.