Technology after the bubble 2002. Special Edition [antikvár]

Transforming IT After spending more than $1.2 trillión on information technology products and serv.ces during the late 1990s, companies are slashing their IT budgets. In today's harsh climate, pressure to meet current earnmgs inspires much of this cost cutting, but many execut.ves, behevmg that their orgamzations gained little or no value from somé of the systems installed during the great technology binge, are reluctant to send good money after bad. Overmvesting in IT does conceal a deeper problem: many companies are undermanaging technology by using outdated frameworks, processes, and controls-legacies from the time when the IT organization was just a support function-to decide which systems to invest in and how to install them. Today, technology lies at the strategic heart of the business, so there are more choices to sort through, more complex issues to consider, and more risks to fear. Prudence in spending should be just the start of reform. Companies must understand where technology can deliver real value, not just marginal benefits. A few companies, such as Charles Schwab, Dell Computer, and WalMart, did gain tremendous value from their investments during the bubble years by focusing on the specific productivity drivers of their sectors, suggest James M. Manyika and T. Michael Nevens in "Technology after the bubble." As others learn this lesson, the way they buy and IT providers sell technology will change. At present, note the authors, buyers are seeking ways to get value from their existing investments; in the longer term, they will invest in IT more judiciously to transform rather than merely operate their businesses. Many companies will alsó have to rethink their expectations and narrow the scope of their projects. In "How to rescue CRM," Manuel Ebner, Arthur Hu, Dániel Levitt, and Jim McCrory suggest ways of turning around one of the many popular enterprise systems that have proved difficult to implement. Wendy M. Becker, Luis Ennquez, and Lila J. Snyder, in "Reprogramming European cable," examine how European cable companies, having invested to meet demand that disappeared along with the bubble, can save their skins.