Strategy Archives - Page 12 of 15 - Innovate. Integrate. Transform. Run.

Changing the Direction of SAP, ERP, and IT Applications to Focus on the Customer and Innovation
Changing the Direction of SAP, ERP, and IT Applications to Focus on the Customer and Innovation

Changing the Direction of SAP, ERP, and IT Applications to Focus on the Customer and Innovation

By Bill Wood|February 19th, 2010|

This is the third part of an ongoing series about where the application technology market is today, including ERP vendors such as SAP and Oracle, and where the market is headed. The series provides insight on how to get ahead of the current trends and ride the wave that is building rather than getting swept away with it. The current business trends and market forces for technology will reward the swift and adaptable who are able to address the key business areas that have been lacking in the te [...]

CIO, CFO, and CEO Alignment – Why ROI is Lacking from Today’s System Landscape
CIO, CFO, and CEO Alignment – Why ROI is Lacking from Today’s System Landscape

CIO, CFO, and CEO Alignment – Why ROI is Lacking from Today’s System Landscape

By Bill Wood|February 17th, 2010|

The first part of this series looked at the proper relationship for the CIO, CEO, and CFO. In today's business environment, the CIO role is already challenging and gaining in difficulty. Today's CIO must not only keep up with technology and business process improvement, but also become a "mini-MBA" in applying technology solutions to forward-looking business strategies, including customer acquisition, customer retention, revenue growth and profitability. Although it is a monumental task, it is [...]

ERP III – Is the Integration of Collaboration the Future of Enterprise Applications
ERP III – Is the Integration of Collaboration the Future of Enterprise Applications

ERP III – Is the Integration of Collaboration the Future of Enterprise Applications

By Bill Wood|February 11th, 2010|

When I was at Grant Thornton in the late 1990's, and then later when the management consulting organization was sold to Hitachi, I worked on a comprehensive knowledge management model (which I will refer to later in this article). The model can be applied to integrating collaboration tools into any enterprise application. Carefully structured and planned integration of collaboration tools can produce great results. However, integration is a challenge. Many social media types aim to tie collabor [...]

What Is the Proper Relationship for the CIO, CEO, and CFO?
What Is the Proper Relationship for the CIO, CEO, and CFO?

What Is the Proper Relationship for the CIO, CEO, and CFO?

By Bill Wood|February 8th, 2010|

The CIO role in business has been changing almost as quickly as technology itself. In the past focusing on business processes and automation was enough to satisfy the business needs for operational excellence. As long as they did so successfully, the CIO received carte blanche, often having large budgets and significant latitude in applying them. However, those days are quickly fading. Today, many IT departments and IT organizations are becoming internal vendors to internal customers with “char [...]

Business and IT Alignment – Integrating Technology and IT Spend with Business
Business and IT Alignment – Integrating Technology and IT Spend with Business

Business and IT Alignment – Integrating Technology and IT Spend with Business

By Bill Wood|February 5th, 2010|

Aligning technology to business requirements is based on a few underlying assumptions that are often lacking from SAP projects. Those assumptions are 1) the business actually knows what their requirements are, 2) the project scope includes those requirements, 3) the right management and internal employees are committed and engaged, and 4) the system integrator you select has consultants with the required experience. Often, I see businesses fail to look beyond operational excellence areas of the [...]

Why Indexed KPIs are Critical for Business Performance and Success
Why Indexed KPIs are Critical for Business Performance and Success

Why Indexed KPIs are Critical for Business Performance and Success

By Bill Wood|January 21st, 2010|

As I have written in previous articles, not every metric for business or processes is a KPI. Too many IT systems and too many companies define a departmental goal as a Key Performance Indicator, creating unnecessary friction among other departments or areas of the company. By using a weighted index, you significantly reduce, and in some cases eliminate, the competing requirements. As part of a continuing effort on using key performance indicators for building a strategy focused organization, I [...]