pany command the largest market share in PC sales. A tightly
             integrated supply chain has decreased fulfillment time and greatly
             increased inventory turnover. This model has also enabled Dell to respond
             quickly to market moves and different supply and demand pressures. It is
             this facility for fast response that has enabled Dell to weather the
             downturn in PC sales that pummeled competitors in 2001/02.
             When Michael Dell entered the PC market in 1984, few thought he would
             stand a chance against established businesses such as IBM and Hewlett-
             Packard. Fortunately for Dell shareholders, the direct business model
             found a large following in government, healthcare and education. The
             success of this business model is apparent when one considers the company's
             performance over the past five years, a period that recorded the first ever
             slump in PC sales, the mainstay of De
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