RE: Buell Duncan

>  Al Barsa:
>I don't necessarily agree with a company that plays musical chairs
>with executives every few years, but this is IBM's policy.

Many mature companies re-deploy executives from division to division and
role to role.  It's a better method than promoting in a straight line up the
chain.  The goals are to allow a person to develop by learning different
aspects of the business, and to evaluate his or her ability to grow and to
lead at a higher level.  If you let an ambitious and successful executive
grow stagnant within a job or division you also run the risk of losing him
or her to a competitor.

I believe that it was the management methodology that came between "you
replace your boss when he dies" and "we have to hire your bosses replacement
from outside for five times the salary and make a grand public announcement
because obviously this person is much better than you".

-Jim