If you were going to assess the Performance and Opportunity gaps aspects of IBM from a

financial and market perspective. Which assessment model would you use (LESAT 2 or
Shingo) and why?

To assess the performance and opportunity gaps at IBM, I would use the LESAT assessment.

The LESAT assessment is used to specifically prioritize an organization’s gaps between

their current state and the state they would like to be in in the future (LESAT, 2012, p. 9).
Because IBM was in a state of decline in the nineties, the LESAT would have been a perfect
assessment to help them prioritize the gap between their current and future operating goals
and achieve enterprise transformation (LESAT 2012, p. 9). The article about IBM talks
specifically about how developing an effective strategy and implementing it successfully played
a significant role in the re-birth of IBM (Harreld, 2007, p. 22). Similarly, the LESAT recommends
evaluating enterprise transformation in 3 main cycles: strategic, planning, and execution. This
exact format is what saved IBM from death in the nineties.

While the Shingo could provide valuable insight into the culture of leadership within the
organization, I think because LESAT focuses on overall enterprise transformation that it would
be more useful for an overall approach. Shingo could be a valuable assessment tool for IBM
now because it evaluates an organizations focus on continual improvement, the impact of
leadership, and customer service values (Shingo). It is a tool that could help IBM refine their
current practices while the LESAT would have been more constructive when assessing how to
totally transform their business to better fit the needs of the market demand.

References:

Harreld, J. B., O’Reilly III, C.A., & Tushman, M.L. (2007). California Management Review Dynamic

Capabilities at IBM: Driving Strategy into Action. Vol. 49, No. 4.

LESAT Facilitator’s Guide. (2012). LAI Enterprise Self-Assessment Tool, Version 2.0.

Shingo Assessment Criteria. (n.d.). The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence – Application
Guidelines