The head of toy maker Mattel Inc has resigned abruptly in the face of the continuing decline of sales of the firm’s toys. The most critical problem has been the lack of interest girls are showing in the Barbie doll. Despite efforts to make Barbie relevant, sales are declining. It will be up to Mattel board member Christopher Sinclair to serve as interim CEO. The company has launched a search for a permanent leader. The Wall Street Journal says that tattlers at Mattel attributed the slide to a growing focus on the numbers and overseas expansion at the expense of the company’s creative side. The company’s executives became entangled, it is said, in a culture that valued endless meetings and long PowerPoint presentations. Meantime, Barbie incarnations as everything from a firefighter (right) to an architect did not increase her popularity. So sorry, Barbie
