Case | HBS Case Collection | January 1997 (Revised November 1997)

IBM and Siemens: Revitalizing the Rolm Division (A)

by Ashish Nanda, Antonio Davila and Georgia Levenson

Abstract

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 in the U.S. PBX market. At the end IBM and Siemens are negotiating over Rolm's future.

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

Format: Print 8 pages Find at Harvard

Citation:

Nanda, Ashish, Antonio Davila, and Georgia Levenson. "IBM and Siemens: Revitalizing the Rolm Division (A)." Harvard Business School Case 397-058, January 1997. (Revised November 1997.)

Related Work

  1. Case | HBS Case Collection | January 1997 (Revised November 1997)

    IBM and Siemens: Revitalizing the Rolm Division (B)

    Ashish Nanda, Antonio Davila and Georgia Levenson

    This supplement to the (A) case describes Siemens’ purchase of Rolm’s entire product development and manufacturing operation to form Rolm Systems and discusses the simultaneous 50/50 joint venture between IBM and Siemens to manage marketing, sales, and service for PBX equipment.

    Keywords: product development; manufacturing; deal; dealmaking; joint ventures; IBM; siemens; Product Development; Joint Ventures; Restructuring; Corporate Strategy;

    Citation:

    Nanda, Ashish, Antonio Davila, and Georgia Levenson. "IBM and Siemens: Revitalizing the Rolm Division (B)." Harvard Business School Case 397-061, January 1997. (Revised November 1997.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsFind at Harvard Related

About the Author

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Ashish Nanda
Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
Strategy

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