Transition: The IBM Story

Transition documents the changes IBM has initiated in this country to make it internationally competitive in IT services exports from Australia. It examines the changes that have occurred in the marketplace over the past decade, the effect these changes had on IBM's competitiveness, the responses to these changes from IBM and how they were made, the results of these changes and assessment of the current state of the marketplace concluding with some comments on what the future may hold. From an Australian perspective this project leads to a higher level of enthusiasm and support for trying to improve Australia's standing in the international IT services market which will have a positive impact on policy positions taken by government, and or investment decisions taken by companies in the Australian marketplace for the future. Then Premier of Victoria, The Hon John Brumby has written a foreword to the book setting out why he believes this book is an important contribution to the debate in Australia on IT services and on the role of services in the Australian economy in general. 'Attracting IBM to locate a major Asia-Pacific facility in Ballarat struck me as an excellent investment for the state. This initiative created high-end jobs, established a relationship of mutual support with the local university, and helped bolster a flourishing regional town. This book is testament to the success of this type of collaborative investment model, where there is genuine commitment and vision on all sides.' - Hon. John Brumby, MP