MICROSOFT has axed some of its marketing staff in an effort to restructure its operations.

The company did not specify how many of its 92,000 employees were made redundant, but a person familiar with the software maker's strategy said about 200 people lost their jobs.

The Redmond, Washington-based company, whose chairman is billionaire Bill Gates, said it was taking steps to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its mark- eting operations which involved a reduction in positions.