ROI in the Early 21st Century: Tough Love Business Cases

by Stephen J. Andriole

Everyone has a perspective about return on investment (ROI). Lots of calculations, models, and algorithms allegedly precisely measure the impact of alternative technology investments. There is strategic ROI and tactical ROI; there is "soft" ROI and "hard" ROI. There are as many ROIs out there as there are RBIs in the major league. What do we make of the ROI smorgasbord? Let's look at the targets of our ROI analyses -- rather than the methods, tools, and techniques. In other words, let's ask the tough questions.