IBM Case AnalysisThe International Business Machines Corporation, IBM, is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on the resources of IBM and key Business Partners, IBM offers a broad range of services, solutions and technologies that enable small, medium and large clients to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. This document will present a brief overview of the company, including a brief SWOT analysis and a review of the marketing, management and financial aspects of the company. Finally, recommendations for continued growth and success will be provided. History The company founded in 1888 as the Tabulator Machine Company by Herman Hollerith, in Broome County, New York. It was incorporated as Computing Taburing Recording Corporation (CTR) and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1916. IBM adopted its current name in 1924, when it became a Fortune 500 company. In 1951 the company entered the computer field. Today, IBM is the world's largest provider of systems integration and technology consulting. It offers services in areas such as application development, data storage, infrastructure management, networking and technical support. IBM Global Services is also among the world's leaders in providing business consulting and outsourcing services. IBM Global Services is headquartered in Armonk, New York and employs 190,000 people worldwide. The company reported revenue of $48,291 million during the fiscal year ending December 2006, an increase of 1.9 percent over 2005. The company's operating profit was $4,934 million during the fiscal year 2006, an increase of 44.9% over 2005.SWOT ANALYSISStrength... middle of paper... leadership is tested by UNIX, Hewlett Packard, Sun Microsystems and Dell. All of these players are large multinational corporations with financial resources and development expertise that pose a considerable threat to IBM's market share and revenues. Beyond that, many of the company's end markets are consolidating. On the US market, the consolidation of the banking sector seems destined to continue. A number of large commercial banks, insurance companies and other broad-based financial services companies have merged with other financial institutions to diversify their offerings and reduce corresponding business risks. As its customer base consolidates, the company faces increasing competitive pressures in terms of service and pricing offerings. This trend could lead to reduced margins for IBM Global Services, negatively impacting its financial position.