Vinamilk
Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance?
Leading a Great Enterprise Through Dramatic Change
Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.
This book is dedicated to the thousands of IBMers who never gave up on their company, their colleagues, and themselves. They are the real heroes of the reinvention of IBM.
Contents
Foreword Introduction PART I-GRABBING HOLD 1 The Courtship 2 The Announcement 3 Drinking from a Fire Hose 4 Out to the Field 5 Operation Bear Hug 6 Stop the Bleeding (and Hold the Vision) 7 Creating the Leadership Team 8 Creating a Global Enterprise 9 Reviving the Brand 10 Resetting the Corporate Compensation Philosophy 11 Back on the Beach
vii 1 7 9 18 29 41 49 56 73 83 88 93 103
PART II-STRATEGY 12 A Brief History of IBM 13 Making the Big Bets 14 Services—the Key to Integration 15 Building the World’s Already Biggest Software Business 16 Opening the Company Store 17 Unstacking the Stack and Focusing the Portfolio 18 The Emergence of e-business 19 Reflections on Strategy PART III-CULTURE 20 On Corporate Culture 21 An Inside-Out World 22 Leading by Principles PART IV-LESSONS LEARNED 23 Focus—You Have to Know (and Love) Your Business 24 Execution—Strategy Goes Only So Far 25 Leadership Is Personal 26 Elephants Can Dance 27 IBM—a Farewell APPENDICES Appendix A—The Future of e-business Appendix B—Financial Overview Index
111 113 121 128 136 146 153 165 176 179 181 189 200 217 219 229 235 242 253 259 261 277 287
ABOUT THE AUTHOR CREDITS COVER COPYRIGHT ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
Foreword have never said to myself, “Gee, I think I want to write a book.” I am not a book writer. Until now I haven’t had the time or the inclination to lean back and reflect on my thirty-five years in business. I haven’t had the patience it takes to sit down for a long time and create a book. Throughout my business life I have been wary of telling others how to manage their enterprises based on my personal experiences. And, frankly, I wasn’t sure if anyone would
Leading a Great Enterprise Through Dramatic Change
Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.
This book is dedicated to the thousands of IBMers who never gave up on their company, their colleagues, and themselves. They are the real heroes of the reinvention of IBM.
Contents
Foreword Introduction PART I-GRABBING HOLD 1 The Courtship 2 The Announcement 3 Drinking from a Fire Hose 4 Out to the Field 5 Operation Bear Hug 6 Stop the Bleeding (and Hold the Vision) 7 Creating the Leadership Team 8 Creating a Global Enterprise 9 Reviving the Brand 10 Resetting the Corporate Compensation Philosophy 11 Back on the Beach
vii 1 7 9 18 29 41 49 56 73 83 88 93 103
PART II-STRATEGY 12 A Brief History of IBM 13 Making the Big Bets 14 Services—the Key to Integration 15 Building the World’s Already Biggest Software Business 16 Opening the Company Store 17 Unstacking the Stack and Focusing the Portfolio 18 The Emergence of e-business 19 Reflections on Strategy PART III-CULTURE 20 On Corporate Culture 21 An Inside-Out World 22 Leading by Principles PART IV-LESSONS LEARNED 23 Focus—You Have to Know (and Love) Your Business 24 Execution—Strategy Goes Only So Far 25 Leadership Is Personal 26 Elephants Can Dance 27 IBM—a Farewell APPENDICES Appendix A—The Future of e-business Appendix B—Financial Overview Index
111 113 121 128 136 146 153 165 176 179 181 189 200 217 219 229 235 242 253 259 261 277 287
ABOUT THE AUTHOR CREDITS COVER COPYRIGHT ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
Foreword have never said to myself, “Gee, I think I want to write a book.” I am not a book writer. Until now I haven’t had the time or the inclination to lean back and reflect on my thirty-five years in business. I haven’t had the patience it takes to sit down for a long time and create a book. Throughout my business life I have been wary of telling others how to manage their enterprises based on my personal experiences. And, frankly, I wasn’t sure if anyone would