Not my problem (RA’d) but I am trying to understand what if any logic was applied.
To use a plane analogy- low on fuel and over weight, they cut out the seats and c—pit and tossed it all out. No pilot or controls Left to run things... but hey now we’re nimble and ready to compete?!
Entire teams were let go (mine included) - how is this not a form of s–c-de?
Sure individually we were replaceable- but just doesn’t seem possible at this scale.
Their new ceo is just another exec from the old ibm. Let’s just keep putting the same thought leadership into power and expect a different outcome. Well done Ginni! I’m sure Arvind knows he has to give you one hell of an exit bonus for his new position. And the former red hat ceo already knows he owes ginni big for that rediculous 33b price tag. Between the both of them keep watching the Edgar docs on ibm. At some point you will see a nice chunk of cha ge heading Ginni’s way. The only thing she propped up at ibm was her brand at the expense of ibms brand.
https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=Ibm&owner=exclude&action=getcompany
My experience after multiple IBM RAs, is that they don't understand, don't care or expect breakage and assume someone will figure it out.
IBM mode of operation for the past 15 years is cut higher paid resources in the US and move jobs to India. Every RA I have been involved in as a manager is a numbers exercise, just like IBM budgeting, each division is given a number. I believe that the big number each division is given is based on the current or projected profit/revenue of that division. Within the division, they make decisions based on their projections/plans and determine project/team cuts and percentages for each org/team. The manager should be the final decision maker on which people, but I have heard of cases where that is not the case. So they cut and see where the pieces fall.
The historical issue is that projections are typically wrong and they look ignorant after the fact. Good examples are stated projected growth in Cloud, AI, Watson Health, etc... Ginni was very proficient at pivoting and twisting failure into a success message and stating a somewhat new, somewhat the same, message of the future. Always in a list of 3 things.
While Arvind is a new CEO, he comes from the IBM culture and the people he is relying on are the same people Ginni worked with. They always go back to the same playbook and add a twist when they can. They DO NOT want to communicate numbers of layoffs, number of people employed in each country, etc... If it truly were a skills shift, than why wouldn't they be willing to do that? As a general rule, if you are doing the right thing, you are willing to share that.
This culture won't change until there is a new board and new executive team, hired externally. The culture is too strong. Jim W may be some peoples hope, but one could argue he is being assimilated.
With IBM's cash and declining revenues, it's not unrealistic to think IBM could be purchased or taken over and split up into smaller companies, including RedHat, and sell off the pieces. In a normal economy it would be worth more that way.
Not going in details but I also wonder how they will do my job. My guess is they will have me train and document up to the last hour of my last day. Flow the work to whoever is remaining or cheaper contractor.
is this expected if ceo's are hired for whom they know not what they know?
btw. the new ceo has gone silent again.