Part I: IBM has long been one of IT's leaders and has acquired morethan 22,000 patents in the past decade. However, by the 1990s the company had lost its draw for customers and its innovative edge. In 2003 IBM decided to redefine its business model. The company phased out its presence in creating/selling hardware and sold its Personal Computing Division to Lenovo, a computer company in China. If a company wants to stay on top of its market, it must be constantly moving forward and adapting its focus. IBM restructured its business skills, assets, and delivery capabilities to meet the needs of their clients who wanted to blend information technology with business operations. The company set up all architecture and technologies for the On Demand operating environment.
 
Part II: In 2005, IBM continued to make On Demand Business more tangible and even more focused on innovation. The company's goal has been execution. As part of IBM's On Demand focus, the company vowed to become more On Demand itself by creating a true global reach and utilizing the talent available worldwide and by giving authority and resources to those working in close contact with its clients. On Demand has allowed IBM to become focused and in sync across the board.
 
Part III: Critics argue that there is nothing new to IT in On Demand, and others claim development has not gone far enough for On Demand to be truly functional. Regardless, IT companies such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and Oracle (to name a few) are pursuing technology along the same lines. This tells developers and executives at IBM that they are certainly on the right track – setting the pace and in the lead.
 
 


   2.                
IBM's shift to a service business, changed the inputs in their transformation process.  Which input would be the most important resource in the new model?
          Materials
          Energy
          Labor
          Ideas


   3.                
Because service organizations require high-touch relationships with customers; which of the following characteristics of the service organization is most important to meeting this requirement?
          Hiring and training
          Flexible systems
          Customized services
          Adjustable capacity


   4.                
Service organizations like IBM can standardize processes they are offering by:
          Blending the use of technology
          Designing Gantt Charts
          Aligning inputs
          Empowering employees    


   5.                
Unlike a service operation, the outputs for manufacturing operations are:
          Tangible
          Intangible    
          High-touch
          Customer driven


   6.                
The services that IBM is providing business clients to help with their technology will require a great deal of ___________in the conversion step of the transformation process.
          Facilities
          Equipment
Knowledge          Technology

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Answer 1 Ideas Reason To bring about any transformation we need disruptive ideas Answer 2 Custom... View the full answer