Publications
Publications
- March 1990 (Revised June 1991)
- HBS Case Collection
IBM Corp.: ""Make It Your Business"" (A)
By: Robert L. Simons
Abstract
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 in use under the old strategy. Concludes with a discussion of the reasons why the new strategy cannot be implemented without changing the sales planning and quota systems. The challenge for students is to design new systems to support IBM's market-driven strategy.
Keywords
Commercialization; Competitive Advantage; Business Strategy; Goals and Objectives; Strategic Planning; Motivation and Incentives; Sales; Volatility; System; Information Technology Industry
Citation
Simons, Robert L. IBM Corp.: ""Make It Your Business"" (A). Harvard Business School Case 190-137, March 1990. (Revised June 1991.)