IBM case study Essay

Describe the characteristics of the industry in which Intel operates. How is Intel positioned in the industry?

IBM Global Services, the technology services and consulting division of International Business Machines (IBM), is the world’s largest provider of systems integration and technology consulting. It offers services in areas such as application development, data storage, infrastructure management, networking, and technical support (Datamonitor Plc., 2007, p.4). IBM Global Services is also among the world leaders in providing business consulting and outsourcing services. IBM Global Services’ headquarter locates in Armonk, New York. The company has more than 190,000 employees around the world.

Elimination of costs associated with unused power supply modules (i.e. discarded from transshipped printers, needing re-configuration at the end of PLC)

In the seven years (since 1994), that Lou Gerstner reigned over IBM, the company’s earnings per

IBM is a 400,000 strong employee organization working with clients in 170 countries thus making it the biggest consulting and technology corporation in the world (IBM Facebook, 2014)

Question 1: Decompose IBM’s ROE and discuss the factors (and trends) that contribute to Big Blue’s profitability.

IBM was founded in 1911. IBM (International Business Machines) is by far the world's largest information technology company in terms of revenue ($88 billion in 2000) and by most other measures, a position it has held for about the past 50 years. IBM products include hardware and software for a line of business servers, storage products, custom-designed microchips, and application software. ("What is IBM (International Business Machines)? - Definition from WhatIs.com," n.d.)

To answer the many external environmental factors affecting IBM’s personal computer business they must raise structural complexity and decentralize decision making through increasing the number of departments and personnel which individually address such boundary spanning environmental points as pricing, customer representation, and new technologies. Human resources must be effectively utilized as key personnel must be recruited both quickly in the transformation and in the future.

In your judgment is Intel a “monopoly”? Did Intel use monopoly-like power, in other words, did Intel achieve its objectives by relying on power that it had due to its control of a large portion of the market? Explain your answers.

Question 1. What competences has IBM had to invest in arising from its transformation from a ‘product-centric’ to a ‘service-centric’ organization?

Prior to their cultural change that took place in the early 1990’s, many would have said that IBM was on a fatal downhill slide. At this point they were beginning to become obsolete. IBM at one point was among the leaders within the world for hardware/software development and information technology services, but all divisions within the organization were run independently from one another. They were not a unified enterprise. To solidify this even further, “rather than working together as a team, divisions competed against each other both internally and in the field” (DiCarlo, L., 2002).

Stryker is a global medical device manufacturing company. The Instruments Division is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was founded by Dr. Homer Stryker, an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Stryker discovered that certain medical devices were not meeting his patient’s needs. Because of this, Dr. Stryker decided to invent new ones. The devices he invented were successful, and the interest in Dr. Stryker’s products began to grow. As a result, in 1941 he decided to start a company to produce them.

IBM has weaknesses in the transformation of its business model. It is lack of flexibility in the transition because of its large company

Over the past five years, IBM has quietly transformed itself into a "software, solution and services" company. With the transformation from a hardware vendor to a solution provider, it has entered the area of consulting services.

It has constantly outperformed its competitors and has generated higher returns. IBM should continue to be a leader in differentiation by offering product and services through its constant strive of innovation. It should follow unique practices to maintain a strong culture and positively impact customer experiences. It should be open to change and blend itself to the environment adding its own stroke of colour (introducing new technologies according to the changing