Case contents

  1. Introduction
  2. A Direct Approach
  3. Dell’s Leadership Style
  4. No excuses – quick and effective decisions
  5. First step in a marathon – No victory laps
  6. Watch each dime and turn it into at least a quarter
  7. Every product should be profitable from Day One
  8. Direct To Customer Service
  9. Two-in-a-box Management
  10. DELL Company Overview and Time-line
  11. Dell Products and Services
  12. DELL – Key Facts about the company
  13. Michael Dell – Personal Profile and Achievements
  14. Michael Dell – Entrepreneurship Skills – Early Years
  15. Quotes by Michael Dell
  16. Questions for discussion
  17. Bibliography
  18. Exhibit 1 – Managing the Dell Way
  19. Exhibit 2 – Five key strategies in Dell’s Direct Model
  20. Exhibit 3 – Dell Inc. – Historical Income Statement
  21. Exhibit 4 – Dell Inc. – Historical Stock Chart

     

Sample Page

“There are a lot of things that go into creating success. I don’t like to do just the things I like to do. I like to do things that cause the company to succeed. I don’t spend a lot of time doing my favorite activities.”

“What matters is our future plan of action. We are systematically moving to increase efficiencies, improve execution and transform the company.“-Michael Dell, CEO Dell Inc.

Introduction

DELL Inc., based in Round Rock, Texas, was a company remarkable at balancing growth and profitability since its inception. DELL’s direct-sales business model had worked incredibly well over the years. However, towards the end of the decade (2000-10), the company’s struggles over pricing and profitability contrasted with market leaders, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Acer . In recent years, DELL’s PC-sales growth lagged behind those of its competitors. DELL’s rivals were able to better take advantage of demand from consumers. DELL was struggling with dismal earnings and a fast eroding market share.

In 2007, Michael Dell (Dell) returned to revive the company he had started in his college dormitory. Majority of the analysts praised the idea of Dell’s return as CEO without a clue about what it is that he would actually do to turnaround the company. In the past, DELL Inc. was recognized as one of the best-managed companies in technology and under Dell’s leadership had transformed itself from a no-name PC player into a powerhouse brand. Michael Dell’s value to the company can be gauged from the fact that, in 2008, the company spent $1,164,625 on personal and residential security.

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