Research Paper on:
Strategy Shift at IBM

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
debt of gratitude to General Motors in the early 1990s, for it was only GM that prevented IBM from leading the nation in business loss. The company began recovering  as the 1991-92 recession eased and IBM was profitable once again, but only momentarily. "In the first quarter of 1992, net profits were $642 million compared to a net  loss of $285 million in the first quarter of 1993" (House and Greene, 1992; p. C19-9). Though Big Blue had made some changes, it remained as aloof from customers  as ever. The IBM Culture In grocery stores in every IBM community fifteen years ago,  late afternoon shoppers could pick out every IBM employee patiently waiting in checkout lines. Women had more freedom in their dress than did men, but any man appearing in  the IBM "uniform" - blue suit, white shirt and blue tie - was immediately recognizable as a member of the IBM organization. Women had access to a greater range  of colors, but not to dress styles any less conservative. If the clothes did not provide the link, then the hair and demeanor did. There was never any  question that the most casual observer would wonder if an individual was employed at IBM. These were the days of rigid structure, when  unspoken, unwritten rules of hierarchy reigned within the company. Some of the hierarchy that was written was that outlining the type of office to which each administrative level had  access. Each successive level gained another office feature. The first major promotion was to an office shared with another, in which there were two desks, no carpet, and