Microsoft is considering job cuts as early as next week, according to media reports.

The online edition of The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported Wednesday that plans for the job cuts are still being discussed and the Redmond, Wash. company may still find alternative ways to cut costs.

Microsoft may announce the job cuts when it reports quarterly earnings next week Thursday if other cost-cutting methods are not found, the Journal said.

CEO Steve Ballmer told the paper in a recent interview that deep retrenchment is not our company culture.

The software developer has not experienced any major layoff plans in the past. It currently employs about 91,000 employees globally.