Business

Open source or open source-sympathetic companies seem to have this notion that communities are a tool to get something done. Whether it's building an app, improving some software, or just trying to establish product loyalty, communities can be seen as just a means to an end.

Between Hulu and Apple, are the days of over-the-air and cable TV numbered?

Microsoft has a deep, dark secret: Bill Gates has almost nothing to do with the company anymore.

What's the new healthcare bill mean to developers generally resident in the US, not-unionized, often with multiple revenue streams, but subject to project cancellation without notice? The subject's far too big for anyone to be conclusive already, but there's starting to be plenty of information to be had. To start, experts advise to be alert, but calm.

The OSI has been one of those organizations that seemed to fall short of its true potential, which is always a source of frustration; you want them to succeed, and don't understand when things go awry. It's particularly difficult to stand by and watch it happen to people whom you genuinely respect.

The Millennials, also known as GenY, are defined as those born between 1980 and 2000. According to a 2007 BSG Alliance Concourse Institute’s research study there are approximately 70 million Millennials in the U.S. today. For comparison, the boomer generation, those born between 1946 and 1964, measures in at 79.6 million according to the 2000 U.S. Census. There is an odd fascination with this generation, its rapid adoption of technology and how they fit into the business world.

Invention, creativity, ingenuity, risk and opportunism have always thrived during times of strife and crisis. It is safe to say that the wild financial market fluctuations over the past weeks define strife and crisis. How does a company overcome the hurdles it is facing in the near term as well as put a solid foundation in place for the long run? In a word, virtualize.

Customer care is the buzz phrase of 2008. Depending on which vendor you speak with the phrase can have various unique meanings rooted in what the vendor is selling. Customer care is becoming a source of significant differentiation between firms. In the virtual world of e-Business, customer care must include the full life cycle of care: target, acquire, transact, service, retain and grow with each step being in alignment with business processes. A sound customer care program provides substantial benefits to the Internet-enabled business.

Determining and establishing performance measures prior to a project's planning process assists in defining if the project was successful. Measurements assess whether the IT initiatives align with business strategies, ensure that the funding allocated was appropriate based on organizational priorities, and demonstrate that your investment produced the positive results you expected. What should those performance metrics be measuring?

You are probably asking yourself: What is IT governance and what function does it perform in preparing a company for e-Business? The IT governance team is a subset of the overall leadership team. The governance team is a board or senior management responsibility, and IT governance is specifically related to IT. The team must carry the leadership strengths with it as it focuses on IT governance and aligning IT with business strategy. The IT governance team is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that IT initiatives and projects move the company incrementally closer to its goal of virtualization and e-Business Readiness.