IBM传奇郭士纳逝世，曾带领蓝色巨人扭亏为盈创千亿市值

Core Insights - The article discusses the passing of Louis Gerstner, former Chairman and CEO of IBM, who died on December 27 at the age of 83. His leadership transformed IBM during a critical period in the 1990s when the company faced significant challenges [1][2]. Group 1: Leadership and Transformation - Gerstner took over IBM in 1993 when the company was experiencing unprecedented uncertainty, with discussions about potential breakups due to massive losses, including an $8.1 billion loss in 1993, the second-highest in U.S. corporate history at that time [1][2]. - He made the pivotal decision to keep IBM intact, believing that large enterprise customers required integrated solutions rather than fragmented technologies, which became the foundation for IBM's subsequent transformation [2]. - Under his leadership, IBM shifted from a hardware-centric company to one focused on IT services and software, exemplified by the $3.5 billion acquisition of Lotus Software in 1995, the largest software acquisition at that time [2]. Group 2: Cultural and Structural Reforms - Gerstner implemented significant reforms aimed at cost reduction and cultural transformation, including substantial layoffs and the sale of non-core assets to improve financial health [2]. - He restructured the compensation system to align employee pay with overall company performance and initiated the "Embrace" program, which required senior managers to personally visit key clients [2]. - As a result of these reforms, IBM returned to profitability in 1994 with a profit of $3 billion, marking its first profit in the 1990s, and the company's market value grew from approximately $29 billion at the time of his takeover to over $100 billion during his tenure [2].