IBM: Decline or Resurrection? : The Management Decision Interview

Robert Heller, author of The Fate of IBM , in discussion with Bruce Lloyd (Head of Strategic and International Management, South Bank University). Heller argues that at the core of IBM′s problem was a gap between its management perceptions, driven by its historic success, and the reality of the marketplace as seen by its customers. Until this gap was recognized it was not possible for the need for radical change to be accepted. The extent to which these challenges are inevitable is to ensure that appropriate performance indicators are used, as these are critical mechanisms for generating the required changes in culture within the organization. It is also necessary to combine the effective management of these performance indicators with effective learning processes that focus on the future, rather than indulging in reflecting on past glories and managing history.