Growth has returned in virtually all company segments after several problems occurred. In 1995, IBM's sales reached almost $72 billion, up more than 12 percent from 1994. For this, Gerstner and his team deserve great credit. The company's profitability was also up by 42 percent, and shareholders have richly rewarded: earnings per share rose by 44 percent. Even the mainframe market, the heart of IBM in the 1970s and 1980s that critics pronounced dead in the early 1990s, has recovered, with new mainframe computers bringing in substantial profit margins. Over the next few years, the company successfully charts a new business course that focuses less on its traditional strengths in hardware and more on services, software, and its ability to craft technology solutions. IBM has been granted more U.S. patents than any other company. It was also awarded over 38,000 US patents and has invested about $5 billion a year in research, development, and engineering since 1996. IBM's current active portfolio is about 26,000 patents in the U.S., and over 40,000 patents worldwide directly result from that investment. IBM remains one of the world's largest computer companies and systems integrators. With over 400,000 employees worldwide as of 2014, IBM holds more patents than any other U.S.-based technology company and has twelve research laboratories worldwide. Later in 2009, IBM's Blue Gene supercomputing program was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by U.S. President Barack Obama. In recent years, IBM gained worldwide attention for its artificial intelligence program Watson, which was exhibited on Jeopardy! where it won against game-show champions. IBM's brand was valued at $75.5 billion and ranked by Interbrand as the third-best brand worldwide in 2012. It was also ranked the top company for leaders the number two green company in the U.S., the second-most respected company, the fifth-most admired company, the 18th-most innovative company, the number one in technology consulting, and the number two in outsourcing in the same year. In 2015, Forbes ranked IBM as the fifth-most valuable brand, and for 2020, the Drucker Institute named IBM the No. 3 best-managed company. Finding a way back to the growth and success of a company was painful and challenging. Nevertheless, it illustrates that companies on the brink can turn things around if they do what is necessary. Understanding that transformation is a constant and continuous process that can never end is one of the ways to achieve success. As for the company to live longer, it must embrace the notion that when faced with tough times, its goal must be not merely to survive but to succeed, and success comes through leadership. References: https://www.forbes.com/2010/07/07/ibm-transformation-lessons-leadership-managingchange.html?sh=5934bdcf3afb https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM#:~:text=IBM%20is%20incorporated%20in%20New%20York.%20IBM %20produces,patents%20generated%20by%20a%20business%20%28as%20of%202020
