Having pulled out of the end user and low to mid range hardware business (which it sees as a commoditised market in which innovation has limits) , IBM is now focused on Analytics, Cloud and Cognitive computing technology as well a range of High end data centre led solutions.

Lenovo is the world’s largest personal computer by Vendor by units sales. With a turnover of some $46 Billion and with 60,000 employees over 160 countries they have truly global reach and status. Lenovo’s continued success is in selling to large businesses. Lenovo has been able to maintain a high level of investment in innovation. This is can be seen in action through the Pentagon approved Military spec tested range of business machines available.

The Hewlett-Packard Company, which is a technology corporation in California, specializes in developing and developed computing, storage, network hardware, software and services. The main product lines contain personal computing hardware, activity servers and linked storage.

Cisco Systems is an American multinational technology company headquartered in San Jose California. They design, manufacture and sell networking equipment and are the largest networking company in the world. Having expanded through massive acquisition in the late 1990s they have continued this model to date having subsumed a number of prominent and innovative organisations in the last five years.

Dell provides technology solutions, services and support. Laptops, Netbooks, Tablet PCs, Desktops, Monitors, Servers, Storage, Mobile Phones are all available. The traditional model (“deal direct”) has been eroded and Dell have increasingly sought to penetrate the SMB / SME market by working far more closely with the channel.