If this comes to pass, one has to wonder if, just as political incompetence brought about the sunset of American world dominance, this sort of short sighted, ethically bankrupt, style of capitalism will not go unpunished.

I have no doubt that IBM is awash with inefficiency, however, I do not imagine that the companies future propsects, reputation and commercial viability figure as highly in this deciscion as the vast sums to be paid to executives to meet arbitrary figures, probably set by the same people making the deciscion and reaping the reward.

One can only hope that at some point in their lives, someone will visit the same misery on these people that leaks so freely from their fountain pens.

Data point: IBM is hiring graduate engineers like crazy in Melbourne, Australia.

That's currently where I work, thankfully I'm already on my way out.