Everyone associates IBM with computers and software. What is not generally realised is that the computer giant is the largest research organisation in the world. It rarely springs to mind as a leading innovator in the way that, say, Sony does. This is perhaps because much of Big Blue's creative effort has been put into its extensive technology portfolio, from mainframes to the IBM Thinkpad and the world's fastest silicon-based transistor. But when chairman and former chief executive officer Lou Gerstner came on board in 1993 to help turn round the ailing giant, one of his key objectives was to refocus research and technology. He insisted that research had to correspond with customer needs and IBM's business model.
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