Louis V. Gerstner

Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?

1. IDEA 1

   IBM was in crisis

   Gerstner describes taking over IBM in 1993, when the company was losing billions and many expected it to break apart. As an outsider from the food and finance industries, he had to learn the technology business quickly.

2. IDEA 2

   He kept IBM together

   Many advisers wanted IBM split into smaller companies. Gerstner decided to keep it together, believing customers valued its ability to provide complete solutions. Gerstner presents this as a decision that kept IBM's biggest strength intact.

3. IDEA 3

   He cut mainframe prices

   Gerstner lowered prices on IBM's mainframe computers to win back customers. This painful step helped stabilise the business. Gerstner presents the cut as an unpopular move that he believed the company had to make.

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