tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31808663.post7424389414906743808..comments2023-04-16T23:58:29.247+12:00Comments on On Agile Leadership: The Choice of Not Being an ElephantManfred Langehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100831606055102208noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31808663.post-72845072065551434042009-11-23T06:38:12.674+13:002009-11-23T06:38:12.674+13:00Your comment about IBM in the 1970s is not exagger...Your comment about IBM in the 1970s is not exaggerated. I consulted at a large UK insurer in the early 1980s - IBM had a sales team co-located at the customer's offices. When IBM had new or updated product they told the customer what to buy and they did so. When the customer had any issues with their set up they contacted the sales team, who sold them consultancy and the consultants told the customer how much extra equipment to buy.<br /><br />When I was assigned to organise some new printing capabilities for a new offshoot of the insurer I reviewed non ibm product and was promptly told not to.<br /><br />IBMs dominance of the computing market was far more extensive than Microsoft's. IBM dominated almost every branch of computing until the early 1980s - mainframes, PCs, mini computers, many specialised systems most software. And what they did not own they influenced because of total ownership of the platform.<br /><br />There was choice, but the business market chose to be safe within IBMs comforting embrace. Their support was exemplary (if costly) and people knew that with IBM they were safe.<br /><br />I believe at one time IBM provided around 70% of everything related to IT globally.<br /><br />During the 1980s as innovation gathered pace IBM stopped innovating and was eaten alive by the sharks of Microsoft, Oracle, SAP etc.davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08152539031290157680noreply@blogger.com