Ibm Case Study

IBM Case Analysis

Nasya Boudreau

Marketing Planning and Strategy

11/13/16

Background

        IBM is an internationally integrated technology and consulting company with its headquarters located in Armonk, New York. It has operations in more than 170 countries and holds some of the worlds most intelligent and talented people to help solve problems and provide an advantage for businesses, governments and non-profits. Innovation is the core principle to IBM’s strategy. The company develops and sells systems hardware, software, and a huge rang of infrastructure, along with cloud and consulting services. IBM is focused on business analytics; cloud computing, growth markets and Smarter Planet. Employees from IBM are working with customers around the world to apply the company’s business consulting, technology and R&D expertise to build systems that enable dynamic and efficient organizations, better transportation, harmless food, cleaner water and healthier populations. IBM is dedicated to every client’s success. They value trust and personal responsibility in all relationships. One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is trying to do everything alone. It is not easy trying to do everything on your own though, as a business. IBM unfortunately learned this the hard way when they faced a downward spiral that just about left them in shambles. To combat this error, business owners must hire and train the right employees. In addition, they should leverage strategic partners. IBM started over with their business, selling many of their ideas, patents and other software in an attempt to build a better business focused on less (Background, 2016).

Target Market

        In the world today, consumers are more progressive and empowered than ever before. They have put pressure on the retailers to stay ahead or else risk losing their business. Consumers know exactly what they want, when they want it, how they want it, and from whom they want it.  Consumers are now able to access a tremendous amount of information about retailers and what they offer. They also are willing to explore new ways to interface with their retailers of choice. Many consumers want to be able to just press one button on their mobile phone or television to buy a product. According to IBM, 78 percent of there respondents want to co-create product offerings with their retailers. Shoppers, who are the generation Y, are now communicating with and about retailers through social media. It is important to keep up with these demands. “Smarter consumers will thus produce smarter retailers.” This is just what IBM is trying to do. They are reaching out to the generations that are expecting more everyday, and they are delivering. IBM knows whom they must please, hence why they are merging and partnering with influential companies to sell their products and ideas to (IBM Global Services, 2016). In 2011 the company stated that they would spend $20 billions on mergers and acquisitions in the years to come (blog software). The list of acquisitions goes on and on. IBM is targeting companies, and the companies reach the consumer that has been the target from the beginning. In 2016 has a clear list of acquisitions was put into place, which include but aren’t limited to, IRIS Analytics, The Weather Company’s Product and Technology Businesses, Optevia, EZSource, Sanovi Technologies etc. (Meeting the Demands, 2016).