However, MVP is not an industry award, but a Microsoft award. I do agree that if it was an industry award, more transparency would be needed.Does MS provide benefits and prestige to people it decides show excellence? If yes, then a visible process would be expected in most professions/industries if such an award is expected to be credible. If no, then it's irrelevant. I'm not sure how your comment above fits in.
Personally I'm very pleased if MS is measuring contributions carefully and retiring people who don't meet the standard, though of course I sympathize if people who are accustomed to receiving the reward suddenly miss out. But all they need do is build up their visible contributions and they can participate again. I don't see a victim.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
