Lou Gerstner

Paper Summary:

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of leadership in an American company. Specifically it researches former IBM CEO Lou Gerstner and his leadership style. It looks at how Lou Gerstner served as CEO of International Business Machines (IBM) from 1993 through 2002 and how he helped turn the company around in the 1990s, and is credited with saving the company from financial failure.

From the Paper:

"When Gerstner joined IBM in 1993, the company was on the verge of financial collapse. He managed to turn the company around, make it profitable, and empower employees during his time as CEO. Gerstner is a transformational leader, as his time in many of the companies he has headed clearly shows. At American Express, he changed the way the company did business, taking the company around the world, and adding women and young people to its market share. In his book Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? he writes, "There had been eleven different currencies in which the American Express Card was issued when I arrived, and twenty-nine when I left" (Gerstner, 2002, p. 85). In fact, he was hired to transform IBM into a profitable company again, but many of the ways he did it were far different from many people expected. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• DiCarlo, L. (2002). How Lou Gerstner got IBM to dance. Retrieved 5 Feb. 2008 from the Forbes.com Web site: http://www.forbes.com/2002/11/11/cx_ld_1112gerstner.html.
• Gerstner, L. Jr. (2002). Who says elephants can't dance? New York: HarperCollins.
• Editors. (2003). Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Retrieved 5 Feb. 2008 from the IBM.com Web site: http://www-03.ibm-com/press/us/en/biography/10153.wss.
• Quest, R. (2004). In focus: Lou Gerstner. Retrieved 5 Feb. 2008 from the CNN.com Web site: http://edition.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/07/02/gerstner.interview/index.html.

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