Product Description

CEO Louis V. Gerstner Jr.'s memoir about the extraordinary turnaround of IBM and his transformation of the company into the industry leader of the computer age -- the great American business story of our time. When Louis V. Gerstner became CEO of IBM in 1993, shares had slumped and the company was on the verge of collapse. Hired for his successful management of RJR Nabisco and American Express, Gerstner had no background in technology, but during his seven-year chairmanship, he transformed the company into the leading force of the computer age. In his frank, direct voice, Gerstner recalls the obstacles he faced: the plans to fragment the company, the inconsistent global policies, the stodgy white-shirt hierarchy and inter-departmental competitiveness and the rapidly declining sales. Within months of joining IBM, Gerstner presented his bold and controversial business strategy. Punitive towards office politics, he revolutionised the company from within, altering an entire corporate culture, divesting billions of dollars in unneeded assets and transforming IBM from a fractured, process-driven business into a nimble, customer-driven enterprise able to respond quickly to the volatile technology market and face down Microsoft and Intel in the internet era. Revealing his tactics step by step, Gerstner spins an engaging narrative that takes the reader behind the curtain into the unbelievable mess he inherited and into the office and mind of a CEO facing the challenge of a lifetime.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54167 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 372 pages

About the Author
Louis V. Gerstner Jr., formerly head of RJR Nabisco and American Express, is the CEOof IBM.

Customer Reviews

A fine lesson in the art of management
Not only an interesting and compelling potted history of one of the global economies leading companies, this audiobook is also a fascinating diary, detailing the personal trials and triumphs of Louis Gerstner. He comes across as a man of action and vision, someone who while unafraid to make unpopular decisions regarding company restructuring, always led from the heart. His descriptions of difficult choices and hard-won results make this a great mini-MBA - some very valuable management advice is there for the taking. And it sure beats listening to the radio on the drive to the office!

Superb
An excellent review of Gerstner's experiances. Worthwhile for MBA students since it provides a comprehensive cross-modular resource upon which exam papers and assignments may draw. The audio delivery is superbly useful since it facilitates in-car listening.

Excellent account of how to turn around a supertanker.
Changing corporate culture is one of the toughest jobs that any CEO can undertake so it great to hear from someone who has done it. Fascinating and inspirational. Great to listen to on the way to the office.