IBM(MR) Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

IBM(MR) - Dissertation ExampleIts major competitors are Hewlett Packard Co. and Microsoft Corp (AOL Daily Finance, 2011). In order for IBM to remain competitive and to remain at the top it has to view that not only its managers and the decision-makers, but also its customers are content with the products that IBM offers. In this regard, IBM fetchd an annual IT Industry Customer Benchmark Survey (Malhotra 2010, p. 826). The survey results are use to help IBMs management and decision-makers gain an understanding of how its customers perceive IBMs competitors. This report examines the survey for its intended purpose and determines the extent to which the survey can generate the intended selective information for optimal analysis. This research report will identify any weaknesses in the survey and will make recommendations for improvements so that any gaps amidst IBM and its competitors in terms of customer advantages can be closed in IBMs favour. The research report provides a backgr ound, an analysis of the data, offers some recommendations and provides a conclusion. ... debut During the 1990s IBM acquired a reputation as a sinking ship (Malhotra 2010, p. 825). However, leading and management within the business has reversed this situation so that IBM is at one time again in top of the IT industry earning US$103.63 billion in 2008 and is now regarded as the world leader in computer hardware and bundle products and services. The fact is, IBM maintains leadership in virtually all of the markets that it competes in. (Malhotra 2010, p. 825). At this point, IBM has virtually all the products and services that it needs to effectively compete in and retain leadership in the IT industry. IBM has made significant changes since the 1990s in reorganizing its hardware business, merging its desktop and laptop operations and in 2004, IBM made plans to merge technology (microchips) and systems (servers, storage) groups (Malhotra 2010, p. 825). In order to maintain the lea d and to remain competitive IBM conducted a survey entitled the IT Industry Customer Benchmark Survey in 2008. The survey was say at company officials who make purchasing decisions and respondents were able to choose IBM or one of its competitors as the subject of the survey. The purpose was to provide IBMs management with the data necessary for making strategic decisions to improve IBMs standing in the eyes of its customers (Malhotra 2010, p. 826). This report conducts an analysis of the survey itself and determines whether or not it can be improved upon to obtain the intended results. In other words, this report analyses the IT Industry Customer Benchmark Survey, the purposes for which it is intended to be