IBM Corp is by no means satisfied with the modest success it has had so far in its embryonic systems integration business, but it has come under fire from companies that live and die by systems integration and facilities management. They have been alleging that under the 1956 anti-trust consent decree, IBM is required to operate any business offering bureau services at arms’ length – and that it must also sell such a subsidiary equipment at the same prices as it would charge third party integrators – and must not trade under the IBM name. In order to meet some of these complaints – and presumably to try to put more distance between itself and the multitude of users that wince at the idea of handing their computer operations over to a company dedicated to selling as much of its own hardware and software as possible, it has turned its Systems Services Division into a separate company, the Integrated Systems Solutions Corp, chartered to provide a broadened range of services in response to growing customer needs. The new company will add data services to its existing services of managing computer operations and developing business, in what IBM reckons will cover the complete spectrum of facilities management services from one dedicated, organisation with an intensified focus on marketplace needs. The new hopeful is aiming to provide computer operations and resource management, application development, network management, disaster recovery services and transaction processing for customers in businesses such as insurance, transport, banking and manufacturing. Establishing Integrated Systems Solutions as a subsidiary also enables it to prepare reports on a fee basis for customers under conditions established in the 1956 Anti-trust Consent Decree; the company starts life with 5,000 employees and it will be be headquartered in Tarrytown, New York.
