The increase in the proportion of a company's value that stems from its intellectual assets has become a fact of business in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. As companies use, create, and license more and more intellectual property (IP), they are forced to draft, review, and negotiate agreements on a daily basis that contain clauses concerning the licensing, purchase, or protection of IP rights.

Offshore outsourcing of IT activities is receiving wider interest and acceptance among businesses and IT executives. Offshoring, which can be defined as acquiring a product or service from a provider in another country or developing systems and applications in a location in another country, has become a hot topic of intense debate and discussion not only in boardrooms and corporate strategic planning sessions but in union meetings and political campaigns as well [13].

Offshore outsourcing of IT activities is receiving wider interest and acceptance among businesses and IT executives. Offshoring, which can be defined as acquiring a product or service from a provider in another country or developing systems and applications in a location in another country, has become a hot topic of intense debate and discussion not only in boardrooms and corporate strategic planning sessions but in union meetings and political campaigns as well [13].

A growing number of enterprises are outsourcing many of their IT activities to offshore locations, gaining significant benefits and improving their competitiveness, and we expect this trend to continue. But achieving success in offshoring is not automatic; offshoring poses additional challenges and risks, and enterprises must adopt sound strategies and good practices in order for their offshoring initiatives to achieve the desired results.

A growing number of enterprises are outsourcing many of their IT activities to offshore locations, gaining significant benefits and improving their competitiveness, and we expect this trend to continue. But achieving success in offshoring is not automatic; offshoring poses additional challenges and risks, and enterprises must adopt sound strategies and good practices in order for their offshoring initiatives to achieve the desired results.

This Executive Update is the fourth in a series that examines information and communications technology (ICT) outsourcing and its various configuration options. The series is based on a recent Cutter Consortium survey of 73 organizations in 25 countries across the globe. 1

This Executive Update is the fourth in a series that examines information and communications technology (ICT) outsourcing and its various configuration options. The series is based on a recent Cutter Consortium survey of 73 organizations in 25 countries across the globe. 1

Collaboration

In an era of ever-increasing digital bandwidth, we are confronted by a curious backlash: younger workers showing a marked preference for extremely limited bandwidth interaction.

Collaboration

In an era of ever-increasing digital bandwidth, we are confronted by a curious backlash: younger workers showing a marked preference for extremely limited bandwidth interaction.

According to an ancient Bedouin saying, you don't see the meat until you stir the soup -- the point being that sometimes important matters aren't noticed until someone stirs them up.

According to an ancient Bedouin saying, you don't see the meat until you stir the soup -- the point being that sometimes important matters aren't noticed until someone stirs them up.

According to an ancient Bedouin saying, you don't see the meat until you stir the soup -- the point being that sometimes important matters aren't noticed until someone stirs them up.

Ensuring success in a globally operating virtual team requires autonomous local decision making. To achieve this, you need well-defined handoffs between players that allow this autonomy, while guaranteeing an expected outcome. Such an arm's-length approach creates a relationship that is focused upon results that produce few or no surprises. Scrupulously negotiated handoffs enable you to steer clear of the pitfalls of micromanaging both deliverables and people in a remote location.

Ensuring success in a globally operating virtual team requires autonomous local decision making. To achieve this, you need well-defined handoffs between players that allow this autonomy, while guaranteeing an expected outcome. Such an arm's-length approach creates a relationship that is focused upon results that produce few or no surprises. Scrupulously negotiated handoffs enable you to steer clear of the pitfalls of micromanaging both deliverables and people in a remote location.

I've been working with a client that is trying to learn about SOA, helping the team to implement a pilot project. Although it's a fairly junior team, the problems that they are encountering are not limited to inexperience. I've seen the same confusion at many different clients. They don't understand the relationship -- or difference -- between SOA and the user interface.

We've noticed several basic themes about portfolio management in our client work this month that support a fundamental truth: portfolio management (e.g., project prioritization) is basic business governance of IT. This has a number of consequences.

We've noticed several basic themes about portfolio management in our client work this month that support a fundamental truth: portfolio management (e.g., project prioritization) is basic business governance of IT. This has a number of consequences.

When it comes to an enterprise-wide roll out of a compliance initiative for a large or medium-sized company, it definitely takes more than one expert to resolve all the challenges.

When it comes to an enterprise-wide roll out of a compliance initiative for a large or medium-sized company, it definitely takes more than one expert to resolve all the challenges.

"Organizations need to address privacy not only because it is legally required and the right thing to do, but also because it is necessary for keeping customer trust, maintaining customer loyalty and support, and improving the corporate brand."

-- Rebecca Herold, Senior Consultant, Cutter Consortium

With all the excitement last week resulting from Hewlett-Packard's announcement that it was entering the data warehousing market, another important industry development slipped by largely unnoticed. That was BI leader Cognos acquiring operational BI and dashboards vendor Celequest Corporation.

With all the excitement last week resulting from Hewlett-Packard's announcement that it was entering the data warehousing market, another important industry development slipped by largely unnoticed. That was BI leader Cognos acquiring operational BI and dashboards vendor Celequest Corporation.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs appeared at the annual MacWorld conference to show off the company's new iPhone.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs appeared at the annual MacWorld conference to show off the company's new iPhone.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs appeared at the annual MacWorld conference to show off the company's new iPhone.