Everyone employed at Intel are agents. Not in the Matrix sense of the word... But in the relationship sense. Intel workers are agents employed by the stockholders to run the business in the best interests of the owners.
As the owner's it is their responsibility to speak up if they do not like the way the business is run. They have the power to change who runs the company, and who does the hiring for them, and through extension who Intel employs. The employees, as agents, are supposed to operate in a manner which is in the best interest of the people they work for.
That said, despite how it may seem, no it isn't all about making "money". It's about creating value. Increasing the value of the stocks. Achieved in the long run by making decisions that strengthen the company - not ones that just make money.
Just because Intel's current policy, as it was represented here, makes them money does not mean its a good policy. They are not strengthening the company, they are inflating its value. Whether that is good or not depends on their further intentions. Is it an intelligent master plan that will lead to greater oppurtunities by their next move? Or are they becoming lazy and overconfident in their market dominance?
It would seem to me, if this were true, that perhaps they are counting on the ignorance of their stockholders and/or the ignorance of the general public. IMO, that's probably a pretty safe bet for some time to come - people don't want technology, they don't want to understand technology, they just want stuff to work. Eventually though this will change, and hopefully for Intel, they will be able to change before then.
