IBM Uses Layoffs, Not Watson, to Advance
June 14, 2013
I saw an earlier reference to IBM’s plan to trim its work force earlier this year. The story surface again in June 2013. See, for example, the report in Business Insider, June 13, 2013. I heard from a person at lunch that IBM’s cutbacks would be hefty, although no numbers were mentioned. I noted this morning this story, “IBM Layoffs Strike As Company Eyes New Markets.”
The main idea is that even the Huffington Post was struck by IBM’s “cutbacks.” The write up said:
The cutbacks are part of a reorganization that IBM Corp. executives disclosed in April during a conference call discussing the Armonk, N.Y., company’s first-quarter earnings. IBM said it would spend $1 billion reshuffling the types of jobs it needs in its workforce this year, with most of the changes coming before the end of June. Fox Business is reporting that the layoffs have affected more than 1,600 positions.
I learned yesterday that WFMY, a TV station in New York, reported that “hundreds could be cut in North Carolina as well as in a couple of other states. WFMY reported, “Cuts in New York included more than 700 in Westchester and Dutchess counties.”
The word “cuts” is not one that IBM used. The company’s preferred term, as I understand the WFMY report, is “workforce remix.”
I scanned a number of reports about this significant series of work force remixes and did not see a reference to Watson. I wonder, “Is IBM using Watson to answer its questions about how to become more competitive?”
If anyone knows, please, use the comments section of this blog to share that information.
Stephen E Arnold, June 14, 2013
Sponsored by Xenky, the portal to ArnoldIT information
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