The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is in the middle of an Oracle Financials implementation that has gone horribly wrong. Its experience should serve as a cautionary lesson for enterprises planning major projects.
A few years ago, the chief administrative officer at a multinational enterprise realized that, despite the extensive benefits projected, support for a new ERP system was not unanimous. In order to strengthen commitment, he forced the heads of finance, HR and manufacturing to sponsor the project within their respective areas. While the heads of finance and HR were enthusiastic about better automation, the VP of manufacturing liked the current systems and saw no need for ERP. Over the next few months, he publicly supported the project while simultaneously creating significant project roadblocks.
Most business and IT leaders learned to negotiate with outsourcers 15 or 20 years ago, when the virtual corporation was seen as the organization to emulate. Although virtual organizations have faded, they provided valuable lessons regarding how to structure outsourcing contracts. Unfortunately, those lessons are being lost. Over the last few years, I have encountered multiple organizations making "first-time buyer" mistakes when negotiating with outsourcers.
High-profile data breaches continue to make news, and you can bet that your board of directors has noticed. Breaches can result in huge remediation costs, litigation and lost revenues resulting from a damaged reputation. Board members pay attention to those things.
It can take years after a merger has been declared "complete" for the <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2564041/it-management/methodical-merger.html">IT processes and systems to be truly merged</a>. Over the years, we've all seen stories in the business press about this sort of thing, and yet it keeps happening, despite what can be dire consequences.
Cost has kept U.S. businesses from adopting fraud-resistant credit cards, but consumer concerns about privacy could make adoption a key differentiator.
When it comes to IT professional services, using the DOD sourcing method called Lowest Price Technically Acceptable is ludicrous, because it disregards the value of expertise and experience.
Here are some things that IT management can do to identify problems in a timely manner.
The new USB Power Delivery spec turns the capabilities of the USB port on their head.
Businesses must make sure their processes and IT systems adhere to the new regulations.
If your organsation is looking into 3D printing, IT can't afford to sit on the sidelines until it starts to look real.
True apples-to-apples comparisons require a lot of time and effort -- in other words, money.
The benefits of standardization will always run up against the arcane needs of far-flung field locations.
Like courtship, supplier relationships start out in optimism, but they're rarely 'till death do you part' arrangements.
Can you buy popularity? Some people seem to think so. Perceiving that organizations and people who have a lot of followers on social media tend to attract even more followers, they try to find ways to jump-start that virtuous circle. Sometimes they try to build their social media presence quickly by buying Facebook fans, YouTube views and other social media metrics. A quick Web search will uncover many examples of this type of love for sale. But there are problems with buying popularity. Here's a look at a few of them.