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)
When discussing and planning your organization’s future, it’s important to consider not just the goals, objectives, and initiatives, but clearly how to accomplish them. The most important contributor is undoubtedly your employees. Aligning the organization’s business strategy with its employees is called talent management, and it encompasses aligning the right employee with the right position in the organization. Talent management is a business strategy and must be fully incorporated within all of the employee connected practices of the organization. Retaining and attracting talented employees,
At IBM, we strive to lead in the invention, development and manufacture of the industry's most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, storage systems and microelectronics. We translate these advanced technologies into value for our customers through our professional solutions, services and consulting businesses worldwide. Create experiences that combine the magic of software with the power of Internet services across a world of devices We recognize and seize opportunities for growth that builds upon our strengths and competencies N/A
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.
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).
Additionally, the speed in which IBM’s advancements and transformations are taking place, and the speed in which the core business has declined, has caused more challenges. While Rometty has made some very valuable accomplishments and changes, they are not effective enough to combat the decline of the business. The client has to work quickly and efficiently to put all new procedures into place, to test and execute. Furthermore, the clients will spend additional time training the staff on these new processes and procedures. While the laying-off of thousands of employees - only to hire new employees with updated skill sets - may be a huge advancement in one regard, it can pose as a minor setback as it ties into the training and developing of the new employees to these new standards. Now, with a multitude of employees and systems to manage, the client must ensure that the company is operating to the best of its ability. Time plays a factoring role into the company’s advancement and planning to fix existing challenges, simultaneously, as other areas of the company are hitting setbacks.
Diversity is known as individuals which are representing more than one national origin, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, beliefs, and age which create a diverse workforce environment were some feels valued at all costs and was skill sets are being used to develop goals within the organisation.
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.)
IBM is recognized as one of the most successful computer companies and is considered the pioneer of early computing. Over the past decade IBM has shifted from the saturated market of personal computers to full business solutions. Today IBM is a multinational technology and consulting corporation. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software and offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting in areas ranging from mainframe computers to nanotechnology. Fortune Magazine ranked IBM the second largest employer in the United States with over 435,000 employees worldwide and the ninth most profitable company. IBM’s employees have received five Nobels Prizes, six Turing Awards, ten National Medals of Technology and five National Medals of Science. The automated tellar machine, floppy disc, hard disk drive, and the magnetic stripe card were all invented by IBM. As large and successful as IBM is, it would have never come to exist had it not been for one man. Thomas J Watson was the first of it’s guiding lights and is generally considered to be the father of IBM.
I am also privileged to be associated with an initiative that is directed towards human resource analytics that analyzes the performance and profitability that the work force brings to the organization. The aim of this project is to align core workforce business
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.
Question 1. What competences has IBM had to invest in arising from its transformation from a ‘product-centric’ to a ‘service-centric’ organization?
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