The goal of the Research Division is quite simple: to be vital to the
continuing success of the IBM Corporation. We strive to impact IBM today and to
assure IBM has an exciting future. I want to stress one of the many ways in
which we create value for IBM: our exploratory programs, where much of what we
work on may not impact the market for ten years, if ever at all.
We live in a world in which success depends on speed, and product cycles are
often measured in Web years (or about three months). Products that are early
technology leaders can garner a disproportionately large share of the market.
They set standards and become the platforms for other's solutions. Products
that are late miss this opportunity and have difficulty being accepted no matter
how good they are. Speed is critical for success.
So why do we have a long time-scale exploratory program? The answer is
balance. One of the most significant ways we create major wins for IBM is the
rapid flow of innovative new technologies into our products. This flow is
facilitated when we have both long-term and short-term projects in the division.
The shorter-term projects connect us to product development and marketplace
needs. The longer-term projects connect us to new innovative technologies being
created around the world.
New technologies often come directly from our own internal exploratory
programs. Many of the highlights in this issue of Research magazine are
technologies or products that started out as exploratory programs. Speech,
FLASH and the multilayer disc technology in DVD are just three examples. In all
of these areas we have a technology lead, and in all cases it came from programs
that were not aimed at a specific product.
Exploratory programs play another very important role. No company can create
all the technology that is critical for its future. Our exploratory programs
connect us to the advanced work that goes on outside IBM. In essence they are a
conduit for technology flow that can provide us with the opportunity of speed to
market.
We will not succeed with just developmental or just explor-atory programs.
In a world where you need to be fast to win, a balance of programs with strong
internal communication channels is a recipe for success. This recipe has worked
in the past. I believe it will work in the future.
Paul M. Horn
Senior Vice President,
Research
