Text 1450, 123 rader
Skriven 2004-12-08 08:16:08 av Glenn Meadows (1:379/45)
   Kommentar till text 1433 av Glenn Meadows (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: End of an era?
==========================
From: "Glenn Meadows" <gmeadow@comcast.net>

Here's an article from The Register this AM:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12/08/ibm_lenovo_memo/

IBM CEO's memo clarifies PC biz sell-off By Tony Smith
Published Wednesday 8th December 2004 10:06 GMT Exclusive So why did IBM agree
to sell its PC division to Lenovo for
$1.25bn? And how did Big Blue break the news to thousands of worried
staffers, not only in the company's Personal Computing Division, but throughout
out the increasingly high-end oriented firm?

For the answers to these questions, we turn to none other than IBM chairman and
CEO Sam Palmisano. Here, in full, is his email to IBM's workers, obtained today
by The Register:

  Dear IBMer:

  I have important news to share with you.

  Today we announced a definitive agreement with the Lenovo Group, China's
largest manufacturer and distributor of personal computers. Lenovo will acquire
IBM's Personal Computing Division, creating the third-largest PC business in
the world. Headquartered in New York, Lenovo's new PC business will be our
preferred supplier of IBM- and Think-branded PCs. This will allow us to
continue to provide our clients with end-to-end integrated solutions - but with
the advantages of a PC business with unique and powerful capabilities:
significant economies of scale, global distribution channels, strong brand
recognition, an experienced and expert management team and workforce, and
number one market position in the world's fastest growing IT market. In
addition, IBM will be Lenovo's preferred services and financing provider. IBM
will hold an 18.9 per cent equity stake in Lenovo.

  Today's announcement is the latest action we have taken in recent years to
reposition IBM for leadership in a rapidly changing industry. For some time we
have said that there are two ways to create long-term value for clients and
shareholders in the IT industry: invest heavily in R&D and be the high-value
innovation provider for enterprises, or differentiate by leveraging vast
economies of scale, high volumes and price.

  IBM is an innovation company. We are committed to being the premier IT
solutions partner for enterprises of all sizes, in all industries. This
business model requires that we continuously create intellectual capital and
that we reinvent everything we do - our technologies, products and services,
our culture and our portfolio of businesses. This has been the hallmark of our
company and has enabled IBM to grow and to lead countless product and
technology cycles over many decades.

  Today, computing and its uses are again changing radically - to what we've
been describing as on demand business. This is opening up tremendous
opportunities for IBM, and it's why we have invested billions of dollars in
recent years to strengthen our capabilities in hardware, software, services and
core technologies focused on transforming the enterprise. At the same time, the
PC business is rapidly taking on characteristics of the home and consumer
electronics industry, which favors economies of scale, pricing power and a
focus on individual users and buyers. These are very different business and
economic models, and they will diverge even further in the years ahead.

  By combining our personal computing division with its own, highly
complementary business, Lenovo will be much better positioned to capture the
opportunities in the PC industry. Lenovo is committed to investing in, growing
and winning in PCs. Lenovo will be a formidable competitor, and our alliance
gives IBM an even stronger position in China, while strengthening our brand
presence there.

  Of course, IBM will continue to play a significant role in creating
innovations for individuals - and not only through the broad PC alliance we are
announcing today. As you know, our company is investing heavily to create the
computing platform of the future. Our microprocessors and open software
technologies underpin the next-generation on demand infrastructure, which will
extend from the enterprise to the home to the mobile product to an expanding
array of connected devices. In just the past couple of weeks, we've made
significant announcements about advanced microprocessors we are developing in
partnership with some of the world's leading consumer electronics companies, as
well as initiatives to broaden adoption and support for these open platforms.

  We are excited by today's announcement and how it further positions IBM
for leadership in the days and years ahead.

  Sam Palmisano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


--
Glenn M.


"Glenn Meadows" <gmeadow@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:41b0e216$1@w3.nls.net...
> Are they including the Thinkpads in the division sale, or just the desktop
> machines?
>
> --
> Glenn M.
>
>
> "Mike '/m'" <mike@barkto.com> wrote in message
> news:0ao1r09aejbeegghst6hmkj5tgi9hm4h7h@4ax.com...
> > On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 09:33:06 -0500, Richard B. <TDNBW@barktopus.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > >On Fri, 03 Dec 2004 07:05:21 -0500, Mike N. <mike@u-spam-u-die.net>
> > >wrote:
> > >
> > >>"IBM, whose first PC in 1981 moved personal computing
> > >>out of the hobby shop and into the corporate and
> > >>consumer mainstream, has put the business up for sale,
> > >>people close to the negotiations said Thursday. "
> > >
> > >Wow...they sure have jettisoned a lot of business over the years.  PCs
> > >are pretty much a commodity these days.
> >
> > The PCs at IBM account for about 12% of the revenue and a much, much
> smaller
> > percentage of the profits.
> >
> >  /m
> >
>
>

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