Despite the prevarication, it is pretty clear that Thorn EMI Plc does intend to sell its Thorn EMI Computer Software business in the medium term, but software companies are as jumpy as three-year-old colts on Derby Day, and their assets are apt to jump ship if they don’t like what’s going on – supply and demand and all that: at UKP145m a year, the business, led by Software Sciences, is a pretty attractive property, and the wisest move Thorn could make would surely be to bring all the other software businesses under a Software Sciences Plc holding company, and float at least a minority on the Stock Exchange with the prospect of being able better to motivate the key personnel there with the promise of share options.
