IBM cuts some software jobs
IBM's software group lays off about 380 employees in the United States as part of what it calls a regular reviews process.
The group laid off about 380 employees this week as part of what it says is a regular reviews process, a company spokesman said.
"We have regular skills rebalancing programs, looking for redundancies in certain areas or to increase efficiencies," he said.
The layoffs, which include some marketing and administrative personnel, affect about 1 percent of IBM Software Group, whose roster of employees numbers about 38,000.
Those affected were in the group's offices in Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colo.; Cupertino, Calif.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Somers N.Y., the spokesman said.
Earlier this year, IBM cut about 600 jobs at IBM Microelectronics in Burlington, Vt. Those cuts came as part of an effort to return the IBM chip unit to profitability, the company said at the time.
IBM has shed far fewer employees in 2003 than it did in 2002, during which it eliminated more than 15,000 jobs in an effort to help cut costs.
All of the employees affected by the cuts will be offered the opportunity to apply for other jobs within IBM, the spokesman said.