Case Study on Ibm
STraTEGIc Hr ManaGEMEnT
case study–PaRt a
IBM’s Global Talent Management Strategy:
The Vision of the Globally Integrated Enterprise
By John W. Boudreau, Ph.D.
Project team
Author: SHRM project contributor: External contributors: John W. Boudreau, Ph.D. Nancy A. Woolever, SPHR Randy MacDonald Richard Calo Michelle Rzepnicki Katya Scanlan Jihee Lombardi
Copy editing: Design:
© 2010 Society for Human Resource Management. John W. Boudreau, Ph.D. Development of this case was made possible by a grant from the Society for Human Resource Management and the National Academy of Human Resources. Information presented was current as of the time the case was written. Any errors are solely the author’s. Note to Hr faculty and instructors: SHRM cases and modules are intended for use in HR classrooms at universities. Teaching notes are included with each. While our current intent is to make the materials available without charge, we reserve the right to impose charges should we deem it necessary to support the program. However, currently, these resources are available free of charge to all. Please duplicate only the number of copies needed, one for each student in the class. For more information, please contact: SHRM Academic Initiatives 1800 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA Phone: (800) 283-7476 Fax: (703) 535-6432 Web: www.shrm.org/education/hreducation
10-0432-part A
case Study Part a
INtroductIoN
In early 2003, Randy MacDonald, the senior vice president of human resources for IBM corporation, was in the midst of a 10-city-in-two-weeks business trip that would take him from IBM’s headquarters in Armonk, NY, to several cities in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, India, China and several spots in Asia. His schedule was a fitting metaphor for IBM’s strategic and human capital challenges. Randy was reviewing his recent meeting with Sam Palmisano, the CEO of IBM. Randy had been the chief HR executive at IBM since 2000, joining when Lou Gerstner was in the middle of
case study–PaRt a
IBM’s Global Talent Management Strategy:
The Vision of the Globally Integrated Enterprise
By John W. Boudreau, Ph.D.
Project team
Author: SHRM project contributor: External contributors: John W. Boudreau, Ph.D. Nancy A. Woolever, SPHR Randy MacDonald Richard Calo Michelle Rzepnicki Katya Scanlan Jihee Lombardi
Copy editing: Design:
© 2010 Society for Human Resource Management. John W. Boudreau, Ph.D. Development of this case was made possible by a grant from the Society for Human Resource Management and the National Academy of Human Resources. Information presented was current as of the time the case was written. Any errors are solely the author’s. Note to Hr faculty and instructors: SHRM cases and modules are intended for use in HR classrooms at universities. Teaching notes are included with each. While our current intent is to make the materials available without charge, we reserve the right to impose charges should we deem it necessary to support the program. However, currently, these resources are available free of charge to all. Please duplicate only the number of copies needed, one for each student in the class. For more information, please contact: SHRM Academic Initiatives 1800 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA Phone: (800) 283-7476 Fax: (703) 535-6432 Web: www.shrm.org/education/hreducation
10-0432-part A
case Study Part a
INtroductIoN
In early 2003, Randy MacDonald, the senior vice president of human resources for IBM corporation, was in the midst of a 10-city-in-two-weeks business trip that would take him from IBM’s headquarters in Armonk, NY, to several cities in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, India, China and several spots in Asia. His schedule was a fitting metaphor for IBM’s strategic and human capital challenges. Randy was reviewing his recent meeting with Sam Palmisano, the CEO of IBM. Randy had been the chief HR executive at IBM since 2000, joining when Lou Gerstner was in the middle of