You are witnessing scorched earth management. The people who gutted the company ostensibly did it as part of a plan to transform it into something new. So what does that look like? What's the next step? Where does IBM go from here? IBM has been in transition for decades and every "strategic initiative" has failed. Employees have been told "hold on a little longer until all is revealed" for so long that no one believes it any more. IBM is spending countless millions of dollars paying people to wait for answers that don't come. Even if employees liked the environment it would still be a suicidal situation.
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Tim Ringo: https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/ibm-crowd-sourcing-could-see-employed-workforce-shrink-by-three-quarters/
Just taking slightly longer than 7 years
-qtd it's hard to reconcile your loyalty with reality. There comes a time when you have to face facts. IBM hasn't done anything right in at least 5 years. It has completely discarded its history, legacy, and value to the world. It's time you let go. If you had never heard of IBM and only knew what it is today, would you even notice its existence?
1vq. You are correct. IBM is marching down a path that Tim Ringo (IBM VP) laid out 10 years ago. Google him. He essentially said IBM would shrink to 100k Ginni is executing that plan. It’s not pretty, but it’s very very accurate. My guess is IBM will land at 150k. The execution was laid out via HPE/CSC (see https://news.hpe.com/why-the-spin-merge-of-hpes-enterprise-services-with-csc-is-the-right-next-step/). IBM wants to be a fortune 250 company (think system z company surrounded by “niche” market places that feed Z). If you are in legacy AIX, or OS/400 or DASD HW, IBM has traded you to the channel. just wave goodbye!!! The new IBM is focused on “as a service/ AI/ HPC . If you are in these niches, IBM will fund you as a skeleton crew, otherwise you will be RA’ed. System Z has devolved to fortune 250 around the world, and you better be selling Z, consulting around Z, consulting around as a service for Z/AI/HPC. The last piece IBM wants is the annunity Driven by Patents/ SAAS/ CLOUD. (blockchain, Ai, cognitive also fit here). IBM loves the annunity. If you live in that envio, IBM will fund/milk you. If you don’t live in the annunity, wave goodbye. It’s TIM RINGO’s vision coming true. case closed!!! Everything else IBM owns/does will be spun off or sold. (see CSC/HPE as the model).
Patents not parents
Their parents are worth more than their revenues why not sell to Alphabet or Google? But then it would really be the end a huge fire sale.
few issues with IBM's so called bread and butter:
IBM cloud is a bust
Watson and AI are under the microscope (someone calling BS on IBM's claims)
Blockchain is only bringing in minuscule returns, and as per usual we are late to the game
Its time for Ginni to find another new technology and send IBM all in.
I cant wait to find out what it will be.
I will be commenting on W3 on how proud I am no matter what it is. I am a bluebird
Gut and sell off any groups within services that's not dealing w/ Cognitive, Cloud, or Blockchain is my bet. If IBM can't turn things around in the next year it'll be 1993 again.