The planning and launch of the AS 400 minicomputer gave rise to the remarkable transformation of IBM, the world's largest computer company. This is the story of the 28-month period that saw this international giant shed its rigid bureacracy to become a more dynamic and flexible organization, capable of rapid product development. In addition, the book examines the business principles that guided IBM and shows how they can be profitably employed by companies of any size to improve their product development strategies.