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IBM Redux : Lou Gerstner and the Business Turnaround of the Decade
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Author: Doug Garr
List Price: $15.00
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 0887309445
Publisher: HarperBusiness (01 October, 2000)
Edition: Paperback
Sales Rank: 98,890
Average Customer Rating: 3.4 out of 5
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Customer ReviewsRating: 2 out of 5
Gerstner glosses over the story
I was disappointed in the book because I felt that Gerstner was more concerned about the political correctness of his book and complimenting himself, rather than telling the whole story. Gerstner seems more than willing to describe all of the tough, and in his mind, the correct decisions he had to make during his tenure at IBM. He fails to shed much light on the fact that IBM was unable to compete in the major tecnology areas (other than the maniframe) during his tenure. Disk Drives, sold to Hitachi, PC Desktops - declared Dell the winner, Microsoft/Intel - never competed, Networking - Cisco is the winner, application software - lost to SAP, Peoplesoft, CA, etc., UNIX Servers - 3rd place finish behind SUN and HP. He only focuses on one area - services/outsourcing - where IBM was successful during his tenure. I believe that IBM could be an even stronger company today had Gerstner been able to win on more fronts. I would love to read a book about the real IBM and what really went on behind the scenes.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Biscuits and Computers
My interest in this book was generated by "Father, Son & Co: My Life at IBM and Beyond " - Thomas Watson Jr. Despite the rapid growth and technological strengths, IBM loses customer focus and arrogance becomes a common trait among its employees. A customer in a Far Eastern country needs to wait for over 2 months to receive a quotation for an AS/400. Not hard to guess what follows. One of America's most admired companies, IBM starts slipping, losing over $ 16 billion in just 4 consecutive years by 1993. There was no problem about revenues. IBM was making $ 64 billion attracting most of the money spent on Information Technology. But it was spending $ 69 billion to earn it. At $ 26 billion in debt, a figure that is more than what most developing countries owed the rest of the world, it needed a miracle. It needed Lou. A man, who was inducted from an industry that had no relevance to computing, rescues big Blue from near bankruptcy. The only thing in common between biscuits and computers is that they almost have the same shelf life. The success of both businesses requires the understanding of customer needs, speed of product introduction, inventory management and cost control. Lou Gerstner from RJR Nabisco steps in to clean up the mess at IBM- and he does this with passion and not with compassion. Harvard educated, with extensive experience at McKinsey, American Express and RJR Nabisco, Lou brings in his own team, who again have no exposure to the computer industry. The "Cookie man hires chicken man" - Lou hires Bruce Herreld from Boston Chicken to fill in the position of Chief strategist for example. Key to the surgical operation in cost control is Jerome York from the automobile industry. And this list grows on similar lines. Lou has his own share of blues. He would not like to remember the fiasco at Atlanta with IBM's promise of "bullet proof reliability". " If self -parody were an Olympic sport, IBM would have medaled" said Fortune Magazine. Lou's wrath against this leading business magazine is another story by itself. There is a clear shift in the strategic direction at IBM in the recent past. Its departure from proprietary system architecture to embrace open technologies. From competition to "co-opetition". PC business is its "Vietnam". IBM realizes this and signs up with Dell to supply components in this segment. It embraces Linux and Java and quickly positions itself as e-business solution provider. Lou is again driving from basics. Biscuits and computers have so much in common- ask the customer, under-promise and over-deliver.
Rating: 4 out of 5
IBM and Lou Gerstner - Great book, interesting, fun!
This book provides a current and interesting story about Lou and IBM. I enjoyed this book very much, and highly recommend it!
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