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Pawanpal Singh
2020050399
BUSI 2133 Organization Theory and Design 11/11 22S-C-ON_5A_Z)
Professor- Sujatha Selvaraj
Case study analysis
1
Table of Contents
Introduction
......................................................................................................................................
3
Change requirement in IBM strategy
..............................................................................................
4
Contribution of IBM’s new organization structure
.........................................................................
5
Organization life cycle
.....................................................................................................................
6
Change management model
.............................................................................................................
7
Overall assessment
...........................................................................................................................
9
Conclusion
.......................................................................................................................................
9
References
......................................................................................................................................
10
2
Introduction
Organizational structure is the foundation of an organization. It is the basic plan or design of an
organization that determines how it will function and how its parts will interact. The
organizational structure defines the relationships among the different parts of the organization
and between the organization and its environment. The organizational structure affects the ability
of the organization to implement its change management strategy. The structure provides the
foundation for organizing and managing resources, setting goals, and making decisions
(Lombardo, 2018). It also determines who is responsible for what within the organization. In this
project, some changes will be made in the organizational structure of IBM that is a multinational
technology corporation. This project will help to understand the contribution of organizational
structure and their impact on IBM’s design and strategy. Moreover, the project will also address
the change management project that IBM implemented in early 1990s to transform the company
from selling hardware to delivering solutions. 3
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Change requirement in IBM strategy There were several change challenges that were required to support changes in IBM strategy.
One challenge was the need for a flatter organizational structure. The change requirements for
the IBM project were mainly to shift the focus of the company from hardware to delivering
solutions. This change was necessary in order to keep up with the competition and remain
relevant in the market. It was also necessary to update the company's image and appeal to a new
demographic. With a flatter structure, communication would be more efficient and decisions
could be made more quickly. Another challenge was the need to empower employees to make
decisions. With more decision-making power at the lower levels of the organization, employees
would be more engaged and would be able to take ownership of their work. Finally, the changes
in strategy also necessitated changes in technology and business processes. To support the
growth in analytics and cloud services, IBM needed to develop new technologies and update its
business processes (Gesmin, et. al., 2011). Overall, these changes required a concerted effort
from all levels of the organization, including leadership, employees, and management.
There were several barriers and change requirements in IBM’s organizational structure that
needed to be implemented. The company needed to become more agile and able to quickly adapt
to changes in the marketplace. This required a change in the organizational structure to enable
more decentralized decision-making and faster execution. The company also needed to focus
more on customer needs and less on its own internal goals. This required a change in the
organization's culture and management practices. IBM needed to increase its focus on emerging
markets. This required a change in the way the company operated, with increased emphasis on
collaboration across divisions and more focus on innovation. Overall, IBM needed to make several changes in order to support its new strategy. These
included changes in organizational structure, culture, and management practices. Further, the
company needed to focus more on customer needs and less on its own internal goals in order to
become more agile and responsive to changes in the marketplace (Stewart, 2004). Finally, IBM
needed to increase its focus on emerging markets in order to remain competitive. All of these
changes required a change in organizational structure.
4
Contribution of IBM’s new organization structure IBM's new organization structure is designed to enable the company to more effectively execute
its business strategy. The new structure groups the company's businesses into different segments,
each with its own leader and dedicated team. This structure will allow each business to focus on
its own strategy and operations, while also benefiting from the company's scale and resources.
The new organization structure also allows IBM to better align its resources with customer needs
and competitive threats. Overall, this new structure will help IBM more effectively execute its
business strategy and enable the company to compete in a increasingly competitive marketplace. IBM’s new organization structure in the early 1990s was a major contributor to the company’s
success in transitioning from selling hardware to delivering solutions. The new structure divided
the company into business units, which allowed for more specialization and focused attention on
specific customer segments. This structure also allowed for more effective coordination and
communication between different parts of the company, which was critical in helping IBM
transition to a solutions-based business model. IBM's new organization structure enabled the company to more quickly and effectively respond
to customer needs and market changes. It divided the company into several business units, each
of which is responsible for a specific set of products and services. This structure helped IBM to
better focus its resources on key areas of growth and innovation. It also enabled the company to
more efficiently develop and market new products and services. The new structure provides IBM
with a more nimble and responsive organization that can better compete in the rapidly changing
technology marketplace. Overall, the new organization structure enable the company to more
efficiently develop and market new products and services (Cortada, 2018). Overall, IBM's new
organization structure is a key component of its strategy to become a leading provider of
innovative technology solutions. The new organization structure help the company execute its strategy of becoming a cognitive
solutions and cloud company. The new structure is based on three core pillars: cognitive
solutions, cloud, and analytics. Each of these pillars is supported by a number of business units
that are organized around customer needs. This structure will help IBM to better focus its
resources on areas where it can make the biggest impact, and to better serve its customers.
5
Cognitive solutions include products such as Watson, which helps businesses learn from data;
Cloud includes products such as IBM Bluemix and IBM SaaS platforms; and Analytics covers
products like IBM Cognos Insight and IBM Cognos Analytics (Pundir, 2018).
The new structure will help IBM to better focus its resources on areas where it can make the
biggest impact, and to better serve its customers. For example, the Cognitive Solutions business
unit will focus on developing and marketing cognitive solutions products, while the Marketing
and Sales business units will focus on selling those products to businesses. The Cloud business
unit will work on developing and marketing cloud-based solutions, while the Systems Operations
business unit will manage IBM's data centers.
Organization life cycle IBM has been in business for over a hundred years and has experienced all different stages of the
organization life cycle. In its early years, IBM was a startup company that experienced growth
and expansion. As it grew, IBM experienced a maturing stage where it became more
bureaucratic and focused on efficiency. In more recent years, IBM has gone through a decline
stage as it has been losing market share to competitors. However, IBM is currently in a renewal
stage where it is rebranding itself and trying to regain its market share. IBM is expecting to
remain in the renewal stage for many years to come. Overall, IBM has experienced a lot of
different stages throughout its history and is still going strong today. It is an excellent example of
an organization that has successfully navigated through the various stages of the organization life
cycle (Madrigal, 2011). In its early years, IBM was focused on producing large-scale mechanical tabulators and punch
cards. In the 1950s and 1960s, IBM shifted its focus to producing large-scale mainframe
computers. In the 1980s and 1990s, IBM shifted its focus to producing personal computers,
software, and services. In the 2000s, IBM shifted its focus to producing cloud computing
services and cognitive computing services. In the future, IBM expects to continue shifting its
focus towards providing innovative cloud computing services and cognitive computing services.
IBM has gone through different stages of the organization life cycle, which can be summarized
as follows:
6
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1. Early Years
(1890-1930): During this period, IBM was focused on producing large-scale
mechanical tabulators and punch cards.
2. 1950s and 1960s
: During this period, IBM shifted its focus to producing large-scale
mainframe computers.
3. 1980s and 1990s
: During this period, IBM shifted its focus to producing personal computers,
software, and services.
4. 2000s
: During this period, IBM shifted its focus to producing cloud computing services and
cognitive computing services (Bivins, 2014).
5. Future
: In the future, IBM expects to continue shifting its focus towards providing innovative
cloud computing services and cognitive computing services.
The different stages of the organization life cycle are important to understand because they help
explain why IBM has shifted its focus in different ways. For example, during the early years,
IBM was focused on producing large-scale mechanical tabulators and punch cards. This allowed
the company to become well-known for its products and gain a stronghold in the industry.
However, during the 1950s and 1960s, IBM shifted its focus to producing large-scale mainframe
computers. This gave IBM an advantage over its competitors, as this type of computer was more
powerful and allowed the company to carry out more complex tasks. Furthermore, during the
1980s and 1990s, IBM shifted its focus to producing personal computers. This allowed the
company to enter a new market and gain an even greater foothold in the industry. However, in the 2000s, IBM shifted its focus towards providing cloud computing services. This
was a strategic decision on IBM's part because this type of service is becoming increasingly
popular and allows companies to save money on their infrastructure costs. Finally, in the future,
IBM expects to continue shifting its focus towards providing innovative cloud computing
services and cognitive computing services. This is because these types of services are becoming
increasingly important and will help companies become more efficient and competitive.
7
Change management model The IBM Change Management Model is a process for managing change in an organization. It
includes five steps:
1. Establish the need for change
2. Plan the change
3. Implement the change
4. Evaluate the change
5. Sustain the change
IBM had undergone a number of changes in recent years, from selling hardware to delivering
solutions. The IBM Change Management Model can help manage these changes effectively.
1. Establish the need for change
- In order to manage change effectively, IBM first identified
why the change is needed. This was done through surveys and interviews with employees and
customers.
2. Plan the change
- Once IBM understood the need for change, it planned how to implement it.
This included developing a timeline, creating a plan of action, and setting goals.
3. Implement the change
- Once the plan of action was set, IBM put it into action. This
involved training employees on the new procedures, testing the changes, and making any
necessary adjustments.
4. Evaluate the change - After the change was implemented and evaluated, IBM decided
whether to make further changes or sustain the current status quo (Chou, 2021).
5. Sustain the change
- Once IBM decided that a change has been successful, it continued
supporting it in order to maintain its effectiveness. This included monitoring results and making
adjustments as needed.
8
By following the steps of the IBM Change Management Model, IBM effectively managed
changes throughout the organization. This helped to ensure that changes are implemented
smoothly and that they continue to be effective over time. Overall assessment IBM has undergone a transformation from a company that primarily sells hardware to one that
delivers solutions. This change has been marked by a shift in focus from products to services and
a move away from proprietary hardware and software to open standards. IBM has also been
aggressive in its acquisition of companies that provide complementary solutions. This change
approach has been successful in helping IBM to become the world's largest provider of IT
services. While the move away from hardware sales has been met with some resistance, the
company appears to be moving in the right direction.
Conclusion
IBM has undergone a dramatic change in its business model over the past several years. The
company has shifted from a focus on hardware sales to delivering solutions to its clients. This
change has allowed IBM to remain competitive in the technology industry and has resulted in
increased profits. IBM is now able to provide its clients with a comprehensive solution that
meets their specific needs. This change has resulted in increased profitability and greater market
share for the company. IBM has clearly demonstrated that it is capable of adapting to changing
industry conditions and is well on its way to becoming a leading provider of solutions. 9
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References
Bivins, S. S. (2014). A transformational change at IBM. Paper presented at PMI® Global
Congress 2014—North America, Phoenix, AZ. Newtown Square, PA: Project
Management Institute.
Chou, J. (2021). IBM Change Management Analysis. [Online] jennachou. Available at
https://jennachou.com/ibm-change-management-analysis/
Cortada, J. W. (2018). Change and continuity at IBM: Key themes in histories of
IBM.
Business History Review
,
92
(1), 117-148.
Gesmin, S., Henderson, B., Irtiza, S., & Mahfouz, A. Y. (2011). An analysis of historical
transformation of an it giant based on sound strategic vision.
Communications of the
IIMA
,
11
(3), 2.
Lombardo, J. (2018). IBM’s Organizational Structure & Product Management. [Online]
panmore
. Available at
http://panmore.com/ibm-organizational-structure-product-
management
Madrigal, A. C. (2011). IBM's First 100 Years: A Heavily Illustrated Timeline. [Online]
theatlantic. Available at https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/06/ibms-
first-100-years-a-heavily-illustrated-timeline/240502/
Pundir, A. S. (2018). Brief History of International Business Machine. [Online] medium.
Available at https://medium.com/@singhanusha/brief-history-of-international-business-
machine-4889e6875dab
Stewart, T. (2004). Leading change when business is good: an interview with Samuel J.
Palmisano.
Harvard Business Review
,
82
(12), 8.
10
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