摘要
郭士纳存《谁说大象不能跳舞》中曾经这样描述他接受IBM任命时的感受：我是承担一个责任，一个对我们的国家的竞争力，经济健康发展都关系重大的责任。当时我心里想的是：如果IBM失败了，绝对不仅仅是一家公司的失败。
Even today, people still clearly remember IBM's transformation towards software and services 20 years ago. Louis Gerstner, the man who led IBM through that vital transformation, named his bestseller Who Said Elephant Cannot Dance, and after that 'dancing blue giant' became the most intuitive image that IBM delivers to the public. From some perspective, rethinking is almost synonym for IBM, and endless transformation has been the secret for IBM's success through so many years. Today, the layout and order of the whole business world has been changed by forces from the Internet. Everything including technology trends, payment methods, application habits and customer needs are changed, and these changes are getting faster and faster in the times of clouds. Amazon and Alibaba are both Internet companies. They started from ecommerce platforms and then reconstructed their huge while abundant data center resources to offer them to third parties. Compared with IBM, these companies are just 'naughty kids' in technology. However, when these 'naughty kids' have enough ability and confidence to find clients among IBM's traditional customers, you can imagine how surprised IBM is. The scenery has changed, and the blue giant is changing its dance steps now. IBM is used to transformations, but the process is never easy. In the last year, IBM adjusted in various aspects to redefine its image in the customers' eyes: more practical, more flexible. What's more important, IBM needs to regain its leadership from the new powers based on the Internet camp. IBM is going through the biggest role changing in its history which is especially dangerous and especially painful. How much confidence does IBM have for its new role?
