National characteristics are very much to the fore when it comes to IBM’s European subsidiaries, so that while the French rush out turnover and profit figures for the year at the earliest opportunity, the West German’s prefer the ponderous national approach of announcing turnover in a timely fashion but keeping everyone on tenterhooks by holding profit figures since April. IBM UK, as a typically British company, announces everything at the same time, but takes its time about it. IBM Deutschland reports that sales for 1989 grew 9% to the equivalent of $7,240m, fuelled mainly by sales within Germany, which rose 14% to $4,897m and implies that sales to other IBM Europe were marginally down at $2,343m – so since IBM France seems to have done pretty well, parts of Europe that take a lot of gear made by IBM Deutschland must have been lousy, and the finger seems to be pointing at IBM UK.
