So long to the gorilla dust at GM. That's what billionaire entrepreneur founder of EDS and ex-General Motors executive Ross Perot called the annual optimistic projections of GM executives during the 1980s, as it continued to lose market share. "When gorillas fight, they throw dust in the air to distract one another," Perot said.

So long to the gorilla dust at GM. That's what billionaire entrepreneur founder of EDS and ex-General Motors executive Ross Perot called the annual optimistic projections of GM executives during the 1980s, as it continued to lose market share. "When gorillas fight, they throw dust in the air to distract one another," Perot said.

So long to the gorilla dust at GM. That's what billionaire entrepreneur founder of EDS and ex-General Motors executive Ross Perot called the annual optimistic projections of GM executives during the 1980s, as it continued to lose market share. "When gorillas fight, they throw dust in the air to distract one another," Perot said.

Technology adoption depends on context. When a company is in trouble, it tries lots of things to regain its competitive edge. When an industry sector is in trouble, it reinvents itself. But when trouble fails to distinguish among companies, sectors, or even continents, then drastic steps are necessary to right the ship. These days we find ourselves in a major economic crisis.

Technology adoption depends on context. When a company is in trouble, it tries lots of things to regain its competitive edge. When an industry sector is in trouble, it reinvents itself. But when trouble fails to distinguish among companies, sectors, or even continents, then drastic steps are necessary to right the ship. These days we find ourselves in a major economic crisis.

In the world in which we live, a world that changes almost daily, there are truths and untruths. There's hype, and there's reality. There are technologies that work, and there are technologies that stay forever in the trough of disillusionment. There are subtleties and nuances. There are smart people and nasty people.

In the world in which we live, a world that changes almost daily, there are truths and untruths. There's hype, and there's reality. There are technologies that work, and there are technologies that stay forever in the trough of disillusionment. There are subtleties and nuances. There are smart people and nasty people.

NOTE: Viewing the Webinar requires the use of Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher (Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher for Linux and Solaris). Download the player from the Adobe Web site.

One of the roles of a product manager is to ensure the technical integrity of the product. The product manager should focus on verifying the product's conformance to the design specification for functionality, performance, reliability, service, and support. All are vital attributes of a new product and are key to the future acceptance of the product by users.

"The cloud" is important, yes, but in my view it isn't rocket science (or even atmospheric science). I think of it as just another step in outsourcing and pushing everything into a commodity, which for me creates only "modified rapture."

This Webinar first looks at what we mean by collaboration and why we do it. Then, it looks at the impact on traditional business transaction processing when we try to add collaboration.

IBM has announced the availability of what the company is calling "stream computing" software that can analyze high volumes of continuously streaming data -- both structured and unstructured -- in real time.

IBM has announced the availability of what the company is calling "stream computing" software that can analyze high volumes of continuously streaming data -- both structured and unstructured -- in real time.

"Humans need to belong to groups and find significant value in communities -- physical or otherwise."

-- Gabriele Piccoli

Innovation

Innovation

The software as a service (SaaS) model has matured as a viable strategic alternative to conventional software service options. This Executive Report by Dr.

The software as a service (SaaS) model has matured as a viable strategic alternative to conventional software service options. The accompanying Executive Report elaborates on the distinct technical and managerial characteristics of SaaS and the implications of these differences regarding adoption decisions.

Many approaches to enterprise architecture (EA) are based upon ideas that are rooted in the 1970-1980s world of internal IT shops, which puts the focus on the framework as an instrument for keeping internal IT assets in order.

Many approaches to enterprise architecture (EA) are based on ideas that are rooted in the 1970-1980s world of internal IT shops, which puts the focus on the framework as an instrument for keeping internal IT assets in order.

As IT professionals we are not generally famous for our polished savoir faire, some recurrent stereotypes in fact have us being just the opposite when it comes to social skills. Yet if it is true that "life is service," working on our customer orientation and service skills can be a great investment, not just individually but collectively as the IT professionals in our respective organizations. This issue of the CBR is full of tangible guidelines and actionable ideas to help you get started.

In this article, we focus on the topic of IT service management. We see IT service management as the idea that IT is a service to the organization. This idea is also about how best to manage IT as a service beyond the specific activities for which the IT group is in charge.

This issue of CBR takes a complementary inward look to the issue on IT services and service functionality that we published in December 2008 (Vol. 8, No. 12). Here, we benchmark the service relationship between the IT shop and the other functional areas of the organization.

This issue of CBR takes a complementary inward look to the issue on IT services and service functionality that we published in December 2008 (Vol. 8, No. 12). Here, we benchmark the service relationship between the IT shop and the other functional areas of the organization.