Sony Falls on Hard Times

After struggling most of this year, electronics giant Sony this week announced a 3-week restructuring plan that involves laying off 20,000 workers, reducing the number of parts and suppliers it contracts, and working more closely with former rivals. Once held up as an example of the AOL and Time Warner merger done right, Sony has seen its shares fall 22 percent this year as sales plummeted. Even its market-leading PlayStation 2 has struggled this year, losing share to the Xbox.