I need a few questions answered from a case study about IBM's
Corporate Profit Disaster.  The case study was from 1970 when IBM had
a very big market share all the way through to 1993. the case study
includes the IBM Market Domination, Development of the PC market, The
launch of the IBM PC in 1983, Technology advance and branding in the
later 1980's, IBM Slips into disaster 1986-93, New organisation
structure in 1991.

Case Questions:

1. Us the five key elements of strategic decisions to evaulate IBM's
corporate strategy.  What conclusions do you draw for these and added
value?

2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of IBM? And what are the
opportunities and threats that it faces from the competitive
environment surrounding the company?

3. What was the strategic significance of IBM's decision to obtain
supplies of computer chips and software from other manufactures rather
then make them itself?

4. How big a part did the change in computer technology play in IBM's
problems? Could this have been predicted by IBM? What is the
significance of your answer for corporate strategy?

5. What was the significance of IBM's suppliers spending marketing
funds to brand their products?  What strategic significance does this
have for the late 1990s in computer markets?

6. What strategies would you have adopted in 1993 to turn around the
situation at IBM?

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Request for Question Clarification by omnivorous-ga on 21 Apr 2005 13:05 PDT

D5586 --

A couple of clarification questions for you:
*  is this based on a printed case study (Harvard Business School or other)?
*  you case question #1 is it: "use the 5 key elements of strategic decisions"?
*  can I assume that you're referring to Michael Porter's 5 forces in question #1?
*  is #5 really about IBM's competitors and branding?  Or is it
referring to Microsoft and Intel during the 1980s, in particular?

You'd also better let researchers know if there's a deadline because
this is really a pretty complex question -- and I know IBM pretty
intimately from the 1980-2000 period from business experience.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

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Clarification of Question by d5586-ga on 21 Apr 2005 14:09 PDT

hi there

yes this is based on a printed case study. Its not from the harvard
school of business. This is a college project that i am doing.

the question for #1 is use the 5 key elements of strategic decisions?
sorry i mistyped.

yes i am talking about michael porter in question #1.

In question #5 I am talking about IBM's competitors and branding. But
this does also relate to microsoft and Intel how they managed to
market their own product.

I actually need this done in the next few hours. I am hoping that i
will get lucky and will be done.

I hope to hear from you soon. 

thanks

> I actually need this done in the next few hours.<

You're going to have to get VERY lucky.  Most researchers are likely
to spend at least 8 hours on a question of this complexity.

Here's my advice: structure your answer around Lou Gerstner's book,
"Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?" As a former McKinsey consultant, he
takes strategic issues apart like a consultant in the book.  You don't
have time to read it -- so structure a Google search strategy on him
and read the reviews and interviews:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060523794/qid=1114118611/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-7430483-1816749

Some suggested Google search strategies:
"Lou Gerstner" IBM
"Lou Gerstner" McKinsey IBM
"Lou Gerstner" + "Elephants Can't Dance"
"Lou Gerstner" IBM Intel Microsoft

I can tell you that Gerstner formulated a very competitively-oriented
strategy for each of his business units, so Intel and Microsoft were
mentioned often in meetings with certain divisions.

Good luck with it!

Omnivorous-GA