Seek the reference of IBM corporate culture

IBM culture (IBM culture)

background introduction

Thomas John Watson, 1874 12 17, was born in new york, USA. After graduating from Elmira University, he worked as a salesman in a cash register company for many years. 19 14, joined the metrology and tabulation record company, and was gradually promoted to supervisor. 1924, Watson renamed the company (CER) International Business Machines Corporation (IBM).

After graduating from Watson University, Watson, the second son of the old Watson, joined IBM as a salesman and was promoted to deputy general manager. 1952, he took over the title of general manager from old Watson.

Happiness magazine, an authoritative publication in the American economic field, reported that the annual profit of IBM 1983 was $5.488 billion, ranking first among western enterprises. 1984 made a profit of $6.6 billion and won the championship again. Among the 1983/ 1984 top ten American enterprises selected by this magazine, IBM scored the highest and ranked first. 1985, the United States selected ten entrepreneurs who had the greatest influence on American society in history, and thomas watson ranked fourth after Ford, Rockefeller, the oil magnate, and Carnegie, the steel magnate. Therefore, Watson and his son are known as "kings of modern enterprises".

Thomas jr, former general manager of IBM, said that the atmosphere in the process of the company's growth into a national excellent company in the first half of the 20th century was a "cult-like cultural atmosphere". This atmosphere can be traced back to 19 14, when Watson's father (thomas watson) became the general manager of a small company, which was struggling to survive. At this time, Thomas the Great consciously began to work hard to create a company full of dedication and perseverance. Watson plastered the wall with slogans: "Time is gone forever"; "Nothing is static"; "We can never be complacent"; "We sell services"; The company is famous for its employees. He made strict rules on personal behavior-he asked salespeople to dress neatly and wear dark overalls, encouraged marriage (in his view, married people work harder and are more loyal to the company because they have to support their families), and banned smoking and drinking. He also made a training plan, indoctrinated the new employees of the company, tried to recruit young and promising new people, and adhered to the principle of strictly promoting talents through practice. Later, he founded a township club run by IBM, mainly to encourage IBM personnel to make friends internally, rather than externally.

Similar to Nord stron, IBM seeks to build employee models that best reflect the company's ideological style-publishing their names, photos and their advanced deeds in the company's publications. Some role models were gloriously included in songs to celebrate. Like Nord stron, IBM emphasizes the importance of individual efforts and innovative spirit on the premise of collective efforts.

By the 1930s, IBM had established an enterprise ideological education system and a formal "school" to help newcomers adapt to the company environment as soon as possible and train future managers. Little Watson wrote in the book "Father and Son Company":

"Everything in the school is to inspire loyalty, enthusiasm and lofty ideals. IBM believes that this is the only way to succeed. In front of the school gate is a school motto carved in two-foot letters (which can be seen everywhere in IBM), with a big word written on it:' Thinking'. As soon as you enter the school gate, it is the marble staircase in winter. It is said that this is to prepare students for progress as soon as they enter the classroom.

Old employees wearing' IBM uniforms' give lectures, and they emphasize IBM's values. Every morning, around IBM's motto and slogan, students will stand up and sing IBM's song collection, including "Home of the Brave" on the title page and IBM's own carol "Forever Forward". IBM employees sang:' Join hands, work hard, and March forward with IBM***. Strong-willed colleagues are moving in the same direction in all fields. "

Although IBM's final development went beyond singing the company's theme song, it retained the practice of training and employee friendship with clear value orientation. New employees of IBM often need to understand the "three basic beliefs" and attend training courses that emphasize the company's thinking and technology. IBM employees should learn the special language of company culture, and the company expects them to always show the professional characteristics of IBM. 1979, IBM built a "management development center" covering 26 acres. In IBM's own words, "it may feel like a secluded resort at first, and then it will be found to be a classroom with great academic pressure."

100 Outstanding Company published in 1985 described IBM as "a company that institutionalized its beliefs in a church way ... and turned out to be a company full of fanatics (if you don't have enthusiasm, you may feel uncomfortable) ... Some people compared joining IBM to joining the army and joining the church ... Wall Street Journal/kloc-0. Indeed, throughout IBM's history, it has been implementing a strict system to adapt to the company's thinking. Barker rogers, former deputy general manager in charge of sales at IBM, wrote in his book The Way of IBM:

Even before recruiting people, IBM began to instill the idea of … into them at the first interview. To some people, the word "indoctrination" means brainwashing, but I don't think there is anything negative in work. Basically, everyone who wants to work for IBM will be told, "Look, this is the way we do things ... We have some very specific ideas. If you work for us, we will teach you how to treat customers. If our attitude towards customers and services is not harmonious with yours, we can only go our separate ways-the sooner the better. "

The concept of extraordinary Excellence also runs through the whole history of the company. Long before IBM achieved national status, that is, from 19 14, old Watson began to seek to instill in employees the idea that the company is a superior and distinctive work unit. He preached, "If you don't think this is the greatest cause in the world, then you will accomplish nothing".

In 75, when the old Watson put forward the idea that our company was different and superior to other companies, 1989, the young Watson turned a corner and returned to the same theme. In the publication "International Business Machines Corporation: A Different Company" commemorating the 75th anniversary of the company, he wrote:

"If we think we are just working for another company, then we will become no different from other companies. We must establish a unique IBM thinking. Once you have this idea, it is easy to exert your enthusiasm and strive to make IBM truly different. "

[edit]

Specific content of IBM corporate culture

IBM has more than 400,000 employees and an annual turnover of over 50 billion dollars. It has branches in almost all countries in the world. Its wide distribution is amazing and its achievements are desirable. To understand this enterprise, we must understand its management philosophy. It is difficult for many people to understand why a huge company like IBM has a humanized character, but it is these humanized characters that have caused IBM's incredible achievements.

Thomas Thomas watson Sr formulated a code of conduct when he founded IBM in 19 14. Like every ambitious entrepreneur, he wants his company to be rich, and he also wants to show his personal value. So he wrote these values as the cornerstone of the company, and everyone who works for him knows what the company requires.

The old man's creed was further developed in his son's time. Thomas jr was the president of IBM at 1956, and the "code of conduct" stipulated by the old man Watson was unknown from the president to the mailroom, such as:

L, we must respect individuals.

We must give our customers the best service possible.

3. Excellent work performance must be pursued.

These principles have always existed in everyone's mind in the company, and any action and policy are directly affected by these three principles. "Watson's philosophy" has contributed more to the company's success than technological innovation, marketing skills or huge financial resources. IBM has no patent right to the company's "regulations", "principles" or "philosophy". "Principles" may soon become empty slogans. Just like muscles will shrink if they don't exercise regularly. In the operation of an enterprise, anyone in a position of supervisor must thoroughly understand the "company principle". They must explain to their subordinates and repeat it over and over again, so that employees know how important "principles" are. IBM can find its "corporate philosophy" in meetings, internal publications, memos, meetings or private conversations. If IBM executives can't match their words with their deeds, all these beliefs will become empty talk. Managers need to work hard to be efficient. All employees know that not only the company's success, but also the individual's success depends on employees' compliance with Watson's principle. It will take a long time for all employees to trust you unanimously, but once you can do this, the enterprise you run will benefit from it anyway.

Rule 1: Individuals must be respected.

No one can violate this rule, at least, no one will admit that they don't respect individuals. After all, many cultural and religious precepts in history have repeatedly called for respect for individual rights and dignity. Although almost everyone agrees with this idea, the company's creed contains very little, let alone follow it. Of course, IBM is not the only company that calls for respect for individual rights and dignity, but few companies can do it thoroughly.

The Watson family knows that the most important asset of a company is not money or anything else, but employees. This action has been going on since the establishment of IBM. Everyone can make the company look different, so every employee regards himself as a part of the company, and the company also strives to create an atmosphere of small enterprises. The branch has always maintained a small establishment, and the company has successfully mastered the efficiency of one supervisor to govern twelve employees. Every manager understands the scale of work performance and the necessity of constantly motivating employees to get angry. Employees with outstanding performance will receive praise, promotion and bonus. There is no such thing as automatic promotion and salary adjustment at IBM. Promotion and salary adjustment depend on job performance. A new marketing representative may get a higher salary than an employee who has worked in the company for many years. Every employee is paid according to his contribution to the company, not his seniority. Employees with special performance will also get special rewards.

From the beginning of IBM's business, the company has a complete tradition of using personnel, which has not changed until today. Today, it has more than 400,000 employees, which is exactly the same as in the past when there were only a few hundred people. Any capable employee has a meaningful job. In the past 50 years, no regular employee has lost 1 hour of work because of layoffs. Like others, IBM has also suffered from economic recession, but IBM can plan and arrange all its employees well to prevent them from losing their jobs. Perhaps IBM's successful arrangement is retraining. Then adjust the new job. For example, during the Great Depression from 1969 to 1972, there were 12000 IBM employees who moved from depressed production factories, laboratories and headquarters to places where they needed them. After retraining, 5000 employees are engaged in sales, equipment maintenance, on-site administration, planning and other work. On the contrary, most people were transferred to more satisfactory positions.

Competent employees should be given challenging jobs. So they can go home and think about what they have done. They can feel the concern of the company when they work, and they are willing to contribute their skills to the growth of the company. When IBM is promoted, it always chooses among its own employees. If there is a vacancy, it will be a blow to those motivated employees, who will be deeply depressed and demoralized. There are many ways for IBM employees to know that everyone can make the company look different. In Armonk, new york, there is no title in every office and table, there is no room for the director in the bathroom, there is no reserved place for the director in the parking lot, and there is no restaurant for the director. In short, this is a very democratic environment, and everyone is equally respected.

The management of IBM must respect every employee of the company, and also hope that every employee respects customers, even if they treat competitors in the same industry. The company's code of conduct stipulates that no IBM employee can slander or belittle competitors. Sales rely on product quality and service attitude to promote the advantages of their own products, rather than attacking the weaknesses of others' products.

Rule 2: Serve customers.

Thomas watson Sr. said that he would make IBM's service the best in the world, not only in his own company, but also in every company that sells IBM products. He specifically instructed IBM to be a "customer first" company, that is, IBM's every move is based on customer needs. Therefore, IBM's "Job Description" for employees specifically mentioned that it is necessary to provide the best service for customers and potential customers in the future.

In order to make customers feel how important they are, no matter what problems customers have, they should be solved within 24 hours. If it can't be solved immediately, they will also give a satisfactory answer. If customers call for service, they usually send someone to serve them within an hour. In addition, IBM experts are always by the phone, providing services or solving software problems, and the phone is paid by the company. In addition, there are services such as mailing or manually sending parts to increase the scope of services. IBM also requires that any new IBM parts must be better than the original ones and better than the products of the same level on the market. The quality of service depends on the company's training and education. In this regard, IBM's subsidiaries around the world have invested a lot of money, and the training and education provided are unmatched by any company. I believe that the training time in IBM company exceeds the teaching time in any university. Every manager of IBM receives 40 hours of training courses every year, and then returns to the company to give lessons to employees. Sometimes even regularly invite customers to class together. To run any enterprise, we must have the repeated patronage of old customers to make the enterprise grow, and we must try our best to seize every customer. The best customer service is to let him visit again.

Rule 3: Excellence

We should pursue the ideal idea for everything, whether it is products or services, we should always be perfect. Of course, perfection will never be achieved, but the goal cannot be lowered, otherwise the whole plan will be affected. The company sets some indicators to meet the job requirements, and regularly checks the market to determine the service quality. From the company's employee selection plan, we pay attention to excellent standards. IBM believes that selecting the best students from the best universities in the country and letting them accept the company's intensive training courses will certainly receive good educational results and have excellent work performance in the future. In order to achieve excellent standards, they must receive excellent training, so that they have a sense of mission and must succeed. IBM is a company with a very competitive environment, and the atmosphere it creates can cultivate a company with a very competitive environment. The atmosphere it creates can cultivate excellent talents. At IBM, peers compete for work achievements and constantly emphasize the importance of academic qualifications, so don't be complacent and strive for the first place. Everyone thinks anything is possible. This attitude is inspiring.

Thomas jr said: "For any company, if it wants to survive and succeed, it must have a set of sound principles for all employees to follow, but the most important thing is that everyone should have confidence in this principle."

In the business operation, any business operation of the company may change. Sometimes the address changes, sometimes the people change, and sometimes the products change. Sometimes the name of the company changes. Things in the world are constantly changing. In any company, if a person wants to survive, he must have adaptability. Today, with the rapid development of science and technology, the social form and environment are changing rapidly. If the marketing plan can't adapt, it may destroy the whole company. You can't stand still, either go forward or go back. In any developed company, the only thing that cannot be changed is "principle". No matter what the content of this "principle" is, it will always be a beacon to guide the company to sail. Of course, companies should remain flexible and improvise in many ways, but their belief in "principles" cannot be changed. Because IBM has these three basic principles as cornerstones, business success is inevitable.

Companies must constantly instill their beliefs in their employees. The following courses are included in IBM's new employee training course: "Corporate management philosophy, corporate history and tradition." Talking about the company's beliefs and values can't be just empty talk. Whether you can work in a company is another matter. It's no use talking in the company. The most important thing is to use strategy, take action and implement strategy. Measure the effect and attach importance to the reward to show determination.

IBM's new sales students can abide by the company's guidelines whether they are in the office or on business trips. They know the true meaning of the IBM principle that "individuals must be respected". As soon as I entered the company, I felt that the way others treated me was based on the principle of respect. As long as they have problems, no matter how busy others are, they will help them. They also saw how the company's personnel treated customers and heard customers' praise for market representatives, system engineers and service personnel. People around us are trying to get excellent results there. Beliefs about IBM are often published regularly in affiliated companies, and examples of excellent IBM services are often taught in company training courses, especially at branch meetings and introduced at seminars where customers are invited. The main purpose is to repeat the company's ideals over and over again and ensure the survival of the ideals.