While every company is slashing its workforce, it seems that Microsoft has no plans to cut back on research spending and plans to add workers in the coming year.

Senior executive Craig Mundie said Redmond was still on a plan to complete 100 percent of its college recruitment plan globally. Speaking to the AP he said that Microsoft's ability to get top talent has actually improved as the world enters what could be a punishing recession.

Microsoft has no plans to decrease its global budget for educational programs, or to touch its  $8 billion research budget. In fact, Microsoft might even increase its head count this year.

Mundie thinks Microsoft could actually benefit from the global downturn, as people decide to hold meetings online rather than get on airplanes or save on phone costs by relying more on voice-over-Internet technology.