[two_in_one]

> Companies following the lead of other companies (CEOs not thinking for themselves, just looking at what others are doing)

Layoff usually negatively affects company's image. It makes sense to do it when everybody's attention is on someone else. Then it looks like nothing special.

[yreg]

I agree, but how do they know about each other? Do the people deciding on layoffs in all these companies talk to each other and coordinate? Sounds hard to believe the news wouldn't leak.

[cortesoft]

Yep. If lots of companies are laying people off, you can pass it off as macroeconomic pressures instead of issues with your own company.