Strategic Case Analysis for IBM

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//Before writing about the strategic audit for the IBM, we will write about the corporate information of IBM. Then, we will write about the history of the company, the products and services provided by the company to the customers. Along with this, we will also discuss about the financial information of the company, which will assist in analyzing the financial performance of the company in the competitive market place. //

Corporate Information: IBM is known as one of the world's largest company, which renders an accomplished range of hardware, software and professional service offers. The company has its head quarters established in Armonk, New York and is well known all over the world in the technological field. IBM is also mentioned as Big Blue, which tends to proceed and survive on the edge of the technology. With the assistance of its research operations, the company possesses the world's largest IT research organization with more than 3000 scientists and engineers working in eight labs in different countries (About IBM, 2008). IBM proceeds it competitors in a series of technological fields, such as SOAs, speech recognition technology and radio frequency identification development (RFID).

History: International Business Machines Corporation (well known as IBM), was founded by Herman Hollerith in 1896 with the name Tabulating Machine Company. In 1911, it was incorporated as Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation. In 1916, the company got listed on the New York Stock Exchange. When IBM was listed among the Fortune 500 companies, it acquired the name IBM in 1924. By utilizing its own and key business partner's resources, IBM provides a broad array of services, solutions and technologies, which assist the customers in capturing the advantage of the new era of e-business.

Key Products/Services: IBM holds a complete business line of hardware, software and peripheral devices, which range from blade, middle-range and mainframe systems to a complete line of software solutions in the fields of development, business intelligence, content management and data storage. In addition to this, its expansive Global Services unit renders outsourcing, consulting and hosting services. It provides the company with more than half of all the company's annual revenues. The core products and services provided by IBM are: systems and servers, storage, software, and IBM global service (About IBM, 2008).

Financial Information: With the assistance of various attributes, such as innovation, vision, acquisitions and alliances, IBM has raised its revenues per year approximately near to $100 million USD, which promotes its initial vision of the capability to have computer systems on the world. IBM is well recognized by its name in the world and is always ahead for establishing new trends in technology. IBM declared a 50% increase in the company's dividend in April 2006. The company increased the dividend payout and the increase has been marked the eleventh consecutive year, when the company increased its quarterly dividend. It was the largest paid dividend in terms of percentage. The company has paid its stockholders more than 350 consecutive dividends.

//Above, we discussed about the overview of the company. Now, we will write about the importance of SWOT analysis of the company for assessing the challenges and aspects of the business environment. Then, we will discuss about the internal factor analysis summary and also provide an excel sheet for representing the analysis of the internal factors (Strengths and Weaknesses).//

In this fast moving world, IBM is confronting several troubles and challenges. These challenges are highly affecting the employees of the company. The commercial demands of the construction industry are fleetly altering and there is a furious competition in the environment, where the company is functioning. To realize the challenges and aspects of the inside and outside environment of the company, we have to carry out a SWOT analysis.

The Internal Factor Analysis refers to all the factors within an organization, which impart strengths or cause weaknesses of a strategic nature to the IBM Corporation.

Strengths

Global Services Brand Name: In the field of information, IBM as a global services brand is very powerful. The IT has spread worldwide and therefore, ...