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IBM is highly likely to have to lay off that many given the dryup of various markets.
When HP splits, it's likely they'll do the same.
This is just the way the services market is going.
As for whether they'd change, uh, people like their current CEO definitely change their mind based on the way the wind is blowing, and how much crap will hit the fan.
Have you ever thought about the logistics that go into planning a layoff of 25% of the workforce? In order to get the list of who stays and who goes there is a lot of work involved. Many of the people involved in that work end up on the list to get laid off. It's terrible for morale. Once you've gone down that road, you aren't turning back just because someone found out 2 weeks ahead of time.
When HP splits, it's likely they'll do the same.
This is just the way the services market is going.
As for whether they'd change, uh, people like their current CEO definitely change their mind based on the way the wind is blowing, and how much crap will hit the fan.