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

IBM(MR) - Dissertation ExampleIts major(ip) competitors are Hewlett Packard Co. and Microsoft Corp (AOL Daily Finance, 2011). In order for IBM to remain competitive and to remain at the flower it has to ensure 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 generated an annual IT application Customer Benchmark Survey (Malhotra 2010, p. 826). The survey results are used to help IBMs vigilance and decision-makers recognise an understanding of how its customers perceive IBMs competitors. This wrap up examines the survey for its intended purpose and determines the extent to which the survey lav generate the intended data for optimal analysis. This research report will identify any weaknesses in the survey and will make recommendations for improvements so that any gaps between IBM and its competitors in terms of customer advantages shadower be closed in IBMs favour. The research report pro vides a background, an analysis of the data, offers some recommendations and provides a conclusion. ... Introduction During the nineties IBM acquired a reputation as a sinking ship (Malhotra 2010, p. 825). However, leadership and guidance within the business has reversed this situation so that IBM is once again in top of the IT application earning US$103.63 billion in 2008 and is now regarded as the world leader in computer hardware and software products and run. 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 engineering science (microchips) and systems (servers, storage) groups (Malhotra 2010, p. 825). In order to maintain the lead and to remain competitive IBM conducted a survey entitled the IT application Customer Benchmark Survey in 2008. The survey was directed at company officials who make get 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