Publications

January 1997 (Revised November 1997)
Case

IBM and Siemens: Revitalizing the Rolm Division (A)

By: Ashish Nanda, Antonio Davila and Georgia Levenson

The case opens with a discussion of the evolution of the private branch exchange industry in the 1970s and 1980s. It follows the path of Rolm from an independent company to an IBM acquisition and its problem as an IBM division. Then describes Siemens' growing interest... View Details

Keywords: Communication Technology; Restructuring; Joint Ventures; Negotiation Participants; Business Divisions; Problems and Challenges; Acquisition; Telecommunications Industry

23 Jan 2005
Conference Presentation

IBM Since 1993

By: R. S. Tedlow

Keywords: Computer Industry; Information Technology Industry; Technology Industry

March 2022
Case

Skills-First Hiring at IBM

By: Boris Groysberg and Sarah Mehta

This case reviews IBM’s efforts to widen its hiring funnel and broaden its talent pool. View Details

Keywords: Competency and Skills; Experience and Expertise; Talent and Talent Management; Human Resources; Employees; Recruitment; Retention; Selection and Staffing; Jobs and Positions; Job Design and Levels; Job Interviews; Society; Social Issues; Technology Industry; United States; New York (city, NY)

March 1990 (Revised April 1990)
Supplement

IBM Corp.: ""Make It Your Business"" (B)

By: Robert L. Simons

Reveals the system changes that IBM adopted. Designed as an in-class handout after discussion of the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: System; Change; Computer Industry

November 1999
Case

IBM Ireland: Reinventing Education Crosses the Atlantic

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter and John R. R Scannell

IBM has just launched an innovation partnership with the Irish Ministry of Education to bring information technology to Irish schools. Wired for Learning was developed in the United States; how well will it be applied in Ireland? View Details

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Partners and Partnerships; Innovation Strategy; Education; Technology Adoption; Government and Politics; Technology Industry; Education Industry; United States; Republic of Ireland

06 Jun 2011
News

IBM and Six Strategic Reasons to Celebrate by Serving

May 2015 (Revised September 2017)
Case

Generating Higher Value at IBM (A)

By: Benjamin C. Esty and E. Scott Mayfield

This case analyzes IBM's financial performance and its capital allocation decisions over a 10-year period from 2004-2013, during which IBM returned more than $140B to shareholders through a combination of dividends and share repurchases. During this time, CEO Sam... View Details

Keywords: Dividends; Share Repurchases; Earnings Guidance; Financial Statement Analysis; Financial Ratios; Payout Policy; Earnings Per Share (EPS); Earnings Management; Change Management; Leadership; Transformation; Financial Strategy

December 2020 (Revised April 2021)
Case

IBM Watson at MD Anderson Cancer Center

By: Shane Greenstein, Mel Martin and Sarkis Agaian

After discovering that their cancer diagnostic tool, designed to leverage the cloud computing power of IBM Watson, needed greater integration into the clinical processes at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, the development team had difficult choices to make. The Oncology... View Details

Keywords: Decision Making; Innovation Strategy; Knowledge Management; Knowledge Use and Leverage; Operations; Failure; Information Technology; Applications and Software; Health Care and Treatment; Product Development; Health Industry; Information Technology Industry; Technology Industry; United States; Houston; Texas

January 2001
Teaching Note

IBM Corporation Turnaround TN

By: Richard L. Nolan

Teaching Note for (9-600-098). View Details

Keywords: Computer Industry; Information Technology Industry

July 1987
Case

Consultant Expert System at IBM

April 2016
Teaching Note

IBM and the Reinvention of High School (C): Toward P-TECH's Rapid National Expansion

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Kelsi Stine-Rowe

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 316-130. This Teaching Note accompanies the third case in a 3-case series on P-TECH and the Reinvention of High School. The case focuses on the development and early diffusion of organizational innovation—how to create pilot projects for... View Details

Keywords: IBM; P-TECH; Stanley Litow; Robin Wilner; Cuomo; Scaling; Innovation; New York State; New York City; Business Model; Innovation Strategy; Innovation Leadership; Education; Business and Community Relations; Change; Technology Industry; New York (state, US); New York (city, NY)

August 1995
Teaching Note

IBM After-Sales Service TN

By: Janice H. Hammond

Teaching Note for (9-693-001). View Details

Keywords: Computer Industry

March 1990 (Revised June 1991)
Case

IBM Corp.: ""Make It Your Business"" (A)

By: Robert L. Simons

In 1987, IBM changed its strategy in an attempt to become a market-driven company rather than a product-driven company. The case begins with a description of the new strategy and the reasons for the change and then describes the top-down sales planning and quota system... View Details

Keywords: Commercialization; Competitive Advantage; Business Strategy; Goals and Objectives; Strategic Planning; Motivation and Incentives; Sales; Volatility; System; Information Technology Industry

2007
Case

IBM and the Secure Internet

By: Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble

Read Now

December 2005
Teaching Note

IBM and Linux (A) (TN)

By: Siobhan O'Mahony and Carliss Y. Baldwin

Keywords: Software; Information Technology Industry

April 2003
Case

IBM Canada: Global Services (C)

By: Michael L. Tushman, David Kiron and Wendy Smith

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Leading Change; Technological Innovation; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Change Management; Management Teams; Information Technology; Organizational Structure; Information Technology Industry; Canada

November 1980
Background Note

Overview of IBM Operating Systems

By: James I. Cash Jr.

Keywords: Software; Computer Industry

October 1979 (Revised January 1983)
Case

IBM Corp.: The Bubble-Memory Incident

Focuses on the role of IBM's Corporate Management Committee (CMC) in resolving conflicts between the line and staff elements of IBM's organization. The issue for discussion is not a substantive technological question but a question of the proper role for the CMC in... View Details

Keywords: Managerial Roles; Conflict and Resolution; Computer Industry