Charlie Ergen, a founder of Dish Network, is taking back the reins at the satellite provider as its competitive landscape is poised for big changes, with a series of megadeals and shifts in how people watch television.

Dish said on Monday that Joe Clayton, its chief executive, would retire at the end of March after a 42-year career in consumer electronics. Mr. Ergen, who helped found the company more than three decades ago and holds the chairman title, will return to his post as chief executive.

Mr. Clayton is the latest in a string of top executives who have failed to stay long at Dish. Carl Vogel was president from 2006 to 2008, and before that Michael Neuman was a top executive at the satellite company EchoStar, which operated Dish.

“There has just been a revolving door in and out,” said Craig Moffett, an analyst with MoffettNathanson Research. “It is nothing more than a reflection of how difficult it has been for outsiders to work productively with Charlie Ergen. At the end of the day, this is still Charlie Ergen’s company.”