IBM Business Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IBM Business Strategy - Case Study Example The contributing key success factors were : However, in 2002, with the achievement and success of its business model and the introduction of the new computing architecture like grid and utility computing, IBM made a high-profile announcement about its new corporate strategy centered on the concept of "on demand business". Unluckily, IBM's stock price plunged down and hit the lowest after the disappointing financial results in the first quarter of 2005 with sales increased by merely 3% from the previous year, far lower than many industry analysts' forecast of a 6% increase. It was some years after Sam Palmisano took over as chief executive officer (CEO) in March 2002. As a precautionary measure, the company announced an immense restructuring in its European operations. Even though there were improvements in the second quarter, some began to express their uncertainties and doubts whether the "on demand business" strategy would deliver the promised results. More distinctively, many started to question how and why such a strategy was accepted and justified in the first place. In order for IBM to remain competitive and ahead of its competitors in the increasingly crowded marketplace, a new corporate strategy called the "On Demand Business," was conceived. ... In an interview, Ginni Rometty, the global head of IBM's Business Consulting Services, talks about the on demand era and on demand business. "The on demand era is primarily characterized by change. Companies are being challenged to respond with speed to an increasingly fast paced and complex environment. Because the rate of change in this environment will become constant and unpredictable, adaptability and flexibility will be critical. Successful companies will have the ability to nimbly adapt to changes in their environment, from sensing and responding to the needs of customers in realtime to adjusting spending around market fluctuations. An on demand business is one whose business processes -- integrated end-to-end across the company and with key partners, suppliers and customers -- can respond with speed to any customer demand, market opportunity or external threat. In our research into the long-term business and technology trends affecting companies, IBM has identified four essen tial attributes of an on demand business: responsive, variable, focused and resilient. As companies move along the continuum between traditional and on demand business, they will more strongly exhibit these characteristics." On the other hand, we might wonder if this new strategy really works If this makeover is a success, why did the stocks of IBM plummet in the recent years Perhaps, there are loopholes in the process of implementation with this new corporate strategy. The result of my thorough investigation, analysis, and research showed that the critical issues involve here are Industry Development and Strategic Development. Industry Development. An Industry

Chekhov Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chekhov - Assignment Example 299). Byelikov is a protagonist of the story, â€Å"Man in a Case†. He was a teacher of classical language in a provincial school. To describe the character of Byelikov, the phrase out of the box would not be compatible but to call him a man in the box would be the most befitting phrase to describe his personality. In the story, Burkin narrates the tragic life and character of Byelikov to his colleague, Ivan Ivanovitch. And it is through his eyes that we get a gaze of the boxed man in the story, Byelikov. By nature Byelikov was solitary in temperament and was unsocial to a great extent. He was so irritating in his nature that his colleagues used to call him a spider and Burkin compared him to a hermit crab or snail and even to our pre-historic ancestors, who were contended being inside their respective dens (Chekhov, 2004, p. 299). His physical appearance was also symbolic that he always preferred to hide himself and his emotions from the outside world. Many people are introve rt but Byelikov’s nature was extraordinarily evident even through his body appearance (Chekhov, 2004, p. 300). Byelikov always put goloshes and a warm waded coat. He always carried an umbrella. His umbrella was always kept inside a case. He also kept his watch inside a case which was made of grey chamois leather.