IBM

IBM, also called Big Blue, is an American multinational technology company based in Armonk, New York. It is a publicly traded company and is one of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. IBM is the biggest company for research in the world. It has offices in many countries and for a long time held the record for the most yearly U.S. patents.

IBM started in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company. It became famous for making the IBM mainframe, which was very important for computing in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1981, IBM began selling microcomputers with the IBM Personal Computer. This helped shape how most personal computers look today.

Over time, IBM changed its focus to computer services, software, supercomputers, and scientific research. It helped create many important technologies, like the Automated Teller Machine, the floppy disk, and quantum computing. IBM keeps working on new ideas in computer chips and artificial intelligence.

History

Main article: History of IBM

IBM began with inventions from the late 1800s. Early technologies included computing scales, dial recorders, electric tabulating machines, and time clocks. In 1911, these businesses combined to form the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR). Thomas J. Watson, Sr. joined CTR in 1914 and became president a year later. Under his leadership, the company grew quickly and changed its name to International Business Machines (IBM) in 1924.

During World War II, IBM developed important technologies. In 1952, it introduced its first commercial stored-program computer, the IBM 701. The company also created the first hard disk drive with the IBM 305 RAMAC in 1956. In the 1960s, IBM launched the IBM System/360, a family of computers that could handle many different tasks. This was followed by the IBM System/370 in 1970, which became very popular.

In the 1980s, IBM entered the personal computer market with the IBM Personal Computer, which had a big impact on the industry. Later, IBM worked with Microsoft to develop the OS/2 operating system, but it didn’t become as popular as Microsoft’s Windows.

In the 1990s, IBM made many changes to its structure and bought several companies. In the 2000s, IBM sold its personal computer business to Lenovo and focused more on software and services. In 2011, IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence program appeared on the TV show Jeopardy! and won. Since then, IBM has continued to grow through acquisitions and partnerships, focusing on areas like artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Corporate affairs

IBM is a big technology company. As of May 2024, its market value was over $153 billion. It is the seventh largest technology company by revenue and the 68th largest company in the United States. In 2024, IBM's revenue was $14.5 billion. The company grew strongly in software, especially in hybrid cloud and AI.

IBM is run by a board of directors. The board includes leaders from other major companies and universities. The Vanguard Group is the largest shareholder, owning about 15.7% of IBM's shares. The company's main office is in Armonk, New York, known as the "Colossus of Armonk." IBM has offices in many countries. Important locations are in Austin, Texas, Research Triangle Park (Raleigh-Durham), North Carolina, Rochester, Minnesota, and Silicon Valley, California. Notable buildings around the world include 1250 René-Lévesque in Montreal and Pangu Plaza in Beijing.

Products

See also: List of IBM products

IBM offers many different products and services. These include cloud computing, artificial intelligence, commerce, data and analytics, the Internet of things (IoT), IT infrastructure, mobile technology, digital workplaces, and cybersecurity.

IBM makes special computers called mainframe computers, with the latest being the IBM z series. In 2019, IBM created its first commercial quantum computing machine, the IBM Q System One. IBM also provides software services, including SPSS for statistical analysis and The Weather Company for weather forecasts. IBM has a large consulting business with experts around the world.

Research

Research has always been important at IBM. It began in 1945 when IBM opened its first lab at Columbia University. Today, IBM Research is the largest tech research group in the world, with labs on six continents. Major labs include the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York, the Almaden lab in California, and others in Australia, Brazil, Israel, India, and Japan.

IBM spends lots of money on research and development. In 2024, it spent about $7.48 billion. Some of this money goes to new technologies like cloud computing and computer chips. IBM has helped create many important inventions, such as the automated teller machine (ATM), the floppy disk, and the Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code.

Patents

As of 2021, IBM holds the record for the most annual U.S. patents generated by a business for 29 years in a row. In 2001, IBM was the first company to earn more than 3,000 patents in one year. By 2022, IBM had over 150,000 patents in total.

Brand and reputation

IBM is nicknamed Big Blue because of its blue logo and color scheme, and its former dress code of white shirts with blue suits. The current "8-bar" logo was designed in 1972 by graphic designer Paul Rand. For many years, IBM used the typeface Helvetica, but in 2017, it switched to a custom font called IBM Plex.

IBM has built a strong brand over many years. Since 1996, IBM has helped with technology for the Masters Tournament, like the first live streaming app for the iPhone. IBM also sponsors big sports events, including the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and the Olympic Games. In Japan, IBM has its own American football team called the "Big Blue".

People and culture

IBM is one of the world's largest employers. In 2022, it had over 297,900 employees around the world, including about 160,000 tech consultants.

The company has special programs for its workers. These include the Extreme Blue internship and the IBM Fellow award.

Many people who worked at IBM later became famous in other areas. For example, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, and Ross Perot, a former presidential candidate, both worked at IBM. Others have gone on to lead big companies, work in government, or win important awards.

Leadership

IBM has had many leaders who helped guide the company through different times. Important presidents include Thomas J. Watson, who led from 1911 to 1949, and Arvind Krishna, who has been president since 2020.

The chairmen of the board also play a key role in IBM's direction. They include George Winthrop Fairchild, who served from 1915 to 1949, and current chairman Arvind Krishna, who has held the position since 2020. These leaders have helped shape IBM into the big technology company it is today.