IBM IBM's strategy has become to deliver products on demand. In other words, they want to create technologies, products, and services that meet their customers' needs better and faster than any of their competitors. To accomplish this, IBM has increased its information gathering with custo- mers and implemented a set of software application acquisitions: The firm has always had good creative ability. However, that ability has not always been focused on consumers. As a result, today, researchers spend as much as 25 percent of their time with customers. One means of R&D-customer collaborations is through IBM's two Industry Solutions Laboratories in Hawthorne, New York, and in Zurich, Switzerland. A customer will come to one of these facilities for a day, hear presentations by IBM scientists, and have a collaborative dialogue on specific business issues and demonstra- tions of key strategic technologies. The second thrust for IBM means it is now the second largest software company (bchind Microsoft). IBM domi- nates in middleware brands with Lotus, Tivoli, Websphere, Rational, and DB2 database businesses. 1. Do you think these approaches will help IBM create a competitive advantage? Why or why not? 2. If you were with a competitor, how would you respond to IBM's two-pronged strategy?
IBM IBM's strategy has become to deliver products on demand. In other words, they want to create technologies, products, and services that meet their customers' needs better and faster than any of their competitors. To accomplish this, IBM has increased its information gathering with custo- mers and implemented a set of software application acquisitions: The firm has always had good creative ability. However, that ability has not always been focused on consumers. As a result, today, researchers spend as much as 25 percent of their time with customers. One means of R&D-customer collaborations is through IBM's two Industry Solutions Laboratories in Hawthorne, New York, and in Zurich, Switzerland. A customer will come to one of these facilities for a day, hear presentations by IBM scientists, and have a collaborative dialogue on specific business issues and demonstra- tions of key strategic technologies. The second thrust for IBM means it is now the second largest software company (bchind Microsoft). IBM domi- nates in middleware brands with Lotus, Tivoli, Websphere, Rational, and DB2 database businesses. 1. Do you think these approaches will help IBM create a competitive advantage? Why or why not? 2. If you were with a competitor, how would you respond to IBM's two-pronged strategy?
Chapter9: The Strategic Management Process: Achieving And Sustaining Competitive Advantage
Section9.5: Planning Firm Actions To Implement Strategies
Problem 3CTQ: What strategic actions do you think a store like Macys can undertake to survive in the current...
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Transcribed Image Text:IBM
IBM's strategy has become to deliver products on demand. In other words,
they want to create technologies, products, and services that meet their
customers' needs better and faster than any of their competitors. To
accomplish this, IBM has increased its information gathering with custo-
mers and implemented a set of software application acquisitions: The firm
has always had good creative ability. However, that ability has not always
been focused on consumers. As a result, today, researchers spend as much
as 25 percent of their time with customers. One means of R&D-customer
collaborations is through IBM's two Industry Solutions Laboratories in
Hawthorne, New York, and in Zurich, Switzerland. A customer will come
to one of these facilities for a day, hear presentations by IBM scientists, and
have a collaborative dialogue on specific business issues and demonstra-
tions of key strategic technologies. The second thrust for IBM means it is
now the second largest software company (behind Microsoft). IBM domi-
nates in middleware brands with Lotus, Tivoli, Websphere, Rational, and
DB2 database businesses.
1. Do you think these approaches will help IBM create a competitive
advantage? Why or why not?
2. If
you were with a competitor, how would you respond to IBM's
two-pronged strategy?
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