IBM is a well-known name in technology and has a long history. The company was founded in 1911. It celebrated its centenary by releasing a series featuring 100 people who explain the company's contributions. "100 x 100" was directed by influential commercial director Joe Pytka, and "They Were There" was shot by Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris. Philip Glass was also featured in the film's music.
ibm's Hollerith punch card
IBM's Hollerith card was inspired in part by a system which was used in textile mills, as well as other industrial processes, as far back 1725. Joseph Marie Jacquard adopted this method in order to create a silk picture. Semen Korsakov, an 1832 inventor of punch cards, used them to store information. The Hollerith punch card from IBM would be used for recording census data and eventually lead to the creation of IBM.
The alliance between IBM, Nazi Germany and other companies began in early 1933. Many Nazi-era enabling technology were developed by the subsidiaries of the company. In order to eliminate Jews, the German government needed a quick and accurate way to identify them. This was made possible by IBM's Hollerith punch card machines.
The magnetic stripe at ibm
IBM's story with the magnetic stripe began when an engineer tried to devise a way of attaching magnetic media onto plastic cards. He had heard about magnetic tape and thought it might be easy to combine the two, but his wife suggested a different solution. She suggested melting the magnetic stripse onto the plastic cards. IBM was the first company using this technology to commercialize their products.
The company was seeking to create a system for recording financial information and personal identification. They were looking for a way of decoding personal data to make it easier to access the information. The team assembled a group of researchers that were able to devise a system for doing just this. IBM adopted magnetic stripe technology after the team's work was done. They began rolling out bank cards and employee ID cards.
IBM's first computer
Arthur Rackham, a pioneer in the introduction IBM computers, was born April 5, 1911. He was an entrepreneur and a mathematician who studied at Drake University, Iowa State College, Columbia University, and MIT. Later, he was named the head of IBM’s research and development department.
During the war, the United States Air Force asked IBM to develop an electro-mechanical bombsight. However, the company was still skeptical about the future electronic computing. Tom Watson, Jr. felt that IBM wasn't moving fast enough to electronic computing at that time. He had an idea for an electronic computer that could perform scientific computations.
IBM's research
The IBM Archives document the company's achievements and progress over the years. Currently, IBM employs 195,000 technical professionals and has 350 Distinguished Engineers and 60 IBM Fellows. The company has acquired NetObjects and CommQuest Technologies. Many of its products are now used in the business world.
The company saw steady growth in sales. It was considered a giant by Wall Street at the time. The company's profits were up by almost $16 billion by 1984. The IBM Corporation was a perennial favorite of Wall Street. IBM was also viewed as the only company able to compete with Japanese firms. This was the subject of a best seller book.
IBM's Stock Purchase Plan
The IBM Stock Purchase Plan (or the IBM Stock Purchase Plan) is a retirement program that allows eligible IBM employees purchase company stock. Originally, IBM employees were paid 85 percent of the average market price on the first and last business days of the offering periods. IBM modified the terms in 2005. Participants can now buy full or fractional shares IBM stock at a 5 percent discount from the average price on the day.
Shares purchased under the Plan are eligible for resale at any time. Sometimes, the process can be stopped entirely. The shares may be purchased either on the open stock or from the Treasury.
FAQ
Who hires consultants
Many organizations employ consultants to assist in projects. These include small businesses, large corporations, government agencies, non-profits, education institutions, and universities.
While some consultants work for these companies, others are freelancers. In both cases, the process for hiring depends on how complex and large the project is.
You will likely go through multiple rounds of interviews when hiring consultants before you choose the candidate you feel is the best fit for the job.
How does consulting differ from freelancing?
Freelancers, who are self-employed and provide services to clients without the need for employees, are independent contractors. They usually charge an hourly rate based on how much time they spent on a project. Consultants work for companies and agencies that employ them. They are often paid monthly or annually.
Freelancers tend to have more flexibility than consultants because they control their work hours and set their own prices. Consultants have better benefits, like health insurance, vacation time, sick leave, retirement plans and etc.
Why would a company hire a consultant?
Consultants offer expert advice to help improve your business' performance. They don't sell products.
A consultant is a person who helps companies make better choices by providing sound analysis, and making recommendations for improvement.
Consultants often work closely alongside senior management teams to help understand what they need to succeed.
They provide coaching and leadership training for employees to enable them to achieve their peak performance.
They might advise businesses on how to reduce costs, streamline processes, or increase efficiency.
How do you choose a consultant to help me?
There are three main factors to consider:
-
Experience - How experienced is the consultant? Are they a beginner, intermediate, expert, or some other level? Does her resume demonstrate that she has the required skills and knowledge
-
Education - What did he/she learn in school? Did he/she take any relevant courses after graduating? Is there evidence that he/she learned from the writing style?
-
Personality - How do we feel about this person? Would we like him/her to work with us?
-
The answers to these questions help determine if the consultant is right for our needs. If there are no clear answers, then it might be worth an initial interview to learn more about the candidate.
What type of jobs can a consultant do?
Consultant work requires a deep understanding of business strategy, operations, and other aspects. It is important to understand the workings of businesses and how they fit into society.
A career as a consultant requires you have great communication skills and a strong ability to think critically.
Consultants need to be flexible as they might be assigned different tasks at different times. They should be able change direction quickly, if required.
They must be willing to travel for their clients. This kind of work can take them around the world.
They need to be able and able to manage pressure and stress. Consultants might sometimes have to meet tight deadlines.
As a consultant you might work long hours. This means that you may not always get paid overtime rates.
Statistics
- On average, your program increases the sales team's performance by 33%. (consultingsuccess.com)
- 67% of consultants start their consulting businesses after quitting their jobs, while 33% start while they're still at their jobs. (consultingsuccess.com)
- Over 62% of consultants were dissatisfied with their former jobs before starting their consulting business. (consultingsuccess.com)
- According to statistics from the ONS, the UK has around 300,000 consultants, of which around 63,000 professionals work as management consultants. (consultancy.uk)
- "From there, I told them my rates were going up 25%, this is the new hourly rate, and every single one of them said 'done, fine.' (nerdwallet.com)
External Links
How To
What is a typical day for a consultant?
Your work type will determine the length of your day. But generally speaking, you will spend time researching and planning new ideas, meeting clients, and preparing reports.
You will have many meetings where clients and you can discuss their issues. These meetings can be held over the telephone, online or face-to face.
Sometimes, you may be asked to create proposals. These are documents that outline your ideas and plans for clients. Before presenting these proposals to clients, you will usually need to discuss them with a colleague or mentor.
After all the preparation, you'll need to start creating content. This could include writing articles, designing websites or editing photos.
It depends on the project's scope, you might need to do some research to collect relevant statistics. For example, you may need to find out how many customers you have and whether they are buying more than one product or service.
Once you have collected enough information, it's now time to present the findings to your clients. You may give your findings orally or in written form.
You must also follow up with clients following the initial consultation. You might contact them regularly to check on their progress or send them emails to confirm they have received your proposal.
Although this process can take time, it is important to stay focused and build good relationships with your clients.