Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? Inside IBM's Historic Turnaround

In1990,IBMhaditsmostprofitableyearever.By1993,thecomputerindustryhadchangedsorapidlythecompanywasonitswaytolosing$16billionandIBMwasonawatchlistforextinction--victimizedbyitsownlumberingsize,aninsularcorporateculture,andthePCeraIBMhaditselfhelpedinvent.ThenLouGerstnerwasbroughtintorunIBM.AlmosteveryonewatchingtherapiddemiseofthisAmericaniconpresumedGerstnerhadjoinedIBMtopresideoveritscontinueddissolutionintoaconfederationofautonomousbusinessunits.Thisstrategy,wellunderwaywhenhearrived,wouldhaveeffectivelyeliminatedthecorporationthathadinventedmanyoftheindustry'smostimportanttechnologies.Instead,Gerstnertookholdofthecompanyanddemandedthemanagersworktogethertore-establishIBM'smissionasacustomer-focusedproviderofcomputingsolutions.Movingaheadofhiscritics,Gerstnermadetheholddecisiontokeepthecompanytogether,slashpricesonhiscoreproducttokeepthecompanycompetitive,andalmostdefiantlyannounced,ThelastthingIBMneedsrightnowisavision.WhoSaysElephantsCan'tDance?tellsthestoryofIBM'scompetitiveandculturaltransformation.Inhisownwords,Gerstneroffersablow-by-blowaccountofhisarrivalatthecompanyandhiscampaigntorebuildtheleadershipteamandgivetheworkforcearenewedsenseofpurpose.Intheprocess,Gerstnerdefinedastrategyforthecomputinggiantandremadetheossifiedculturebredbythecompany'sownsuccess.Thefirst-handstoryofanextraordinaryturnaround,auniquecasestudyinmanagingacrisis,andathoughtfulreflectiononthecomputerindustryandtheprinciplesofleadership,WhoSaysElephantsCan'tDance?sumsupLouGerstner'shistoricbusinessachievement.TakingreadersdeepintotheworldofIBM'sCEO,Gerstnerrecountsthehigh-levelmeetingsandexplainsthepressure-filled,no-turning-backdecisionsthathadtobemade.Healsooffershishard-wonconclusionsabouttheessenceofwhatmakesagreatcompanyrun.Inthehistoryofmodernbusiness,manycompanieshavegonefrombeingindustryleaderstothevergeofextinction.Throughtheheroiceffortsofanewmanagementteam,someofthosecompanieshaveevensucceededinresuscitatingthemselvesandlivingonintheshadowoftheirformerstature.Butonlyonecompanyhasbeenatthepinnacleofanindustry,fallentonearcollapse,andthen,beyondanyone'sexpectations,returnedtosettheagenda.ThatcompanyisIBM.LouGerstener,Jr.,servedaschairmanandchiefexecutiveofficerofIBMfromApril1993toMarch2002,whenheretiredasCEO.Heremainedchairmanoftheboardthroughtheendof2002.BeforejoiningIBM,Mr.GerstnerservedforfouryearsaschairmanandCEOofRJRNabisco,Inc.Thiswasprecededbyaneleven-yearcareerattheAmericanExpressCompany,wherehewaspresidentoftheparentcompanyandchairmanandCEOofitslargestsubsidiary.Priortothat,Mr.GerstnerwasadirectorofthemanagementconsultingfirmofMcKinsey&Co.,Inc.Hereceivedabachelor'sdegreeinengineeringfromDartmouthCollegeandanMBAfromHarvardBusinessSchool.IBM公司，长期以来执计算机世界之牛耳，被视为美国科技实力的象征和国家竞争力的堡垒，甚至《经济学人》杂志指出，“IBM的失败总是被视为美国的失败”。1993年，郭士纳刚刚接手IBM时，这家超大型企业因为机构臃肿和孤立封闭的企业文化已经变得步履蹒跚，亏损高达160亿美元，正面临着被拆分的危险，媒体将其描述为“一只脚已经迈进了坟墓”。在郭士纳为IBM掌舵的9年间，这家公司持续赢利，股价上涨了10倍，成为全球最赚钱的公司之一。有人评价，郭士纳的两个最突出的贡献就是：一、保持了IBM这头企业巨象的完整；二、让IBM公司成功地从生产硬件转为提供服务，成为世界上最大的一个不制造计算机的计算机公司。郭士纳在书中将自己使IBM改天换地的辉煌岁月娓娓道来，既有只有CEO才接触得到的第一手内部资料――各种会议卷宗、事态行将有变的种种蛛丝马迹、重压之下背水一战的各项决策，又有带领一家巨型公司大步向前的高屋建瓴、深思熟虑的管理思想。郭士纳是技术的外行，但是他却通过一系列战略性的调整让一家在国际经济舞台上举足轻重的IT企业重振雄风。在这部惊涛骇浪的管理传奇中，郭士纳将他对管理、企业文化、企业规模与竞争力、企业转型的种种真知灼见寓于生动的记述当中，丰富、翔实、推心置腹，对所有商务人士备加关注的“传统企业如何转变为与世界经济接轨的、务实而灵活的现代企业”作了最完美和精彩的诠释