The question of insourcing or outsourcing service delivery brings about a new set of concerns in the context of globalization of business activities. In addition to the factors firms must consider when contemplating outsourcing with an onshore vendor, in shifting business activities offshore, firms must also consider their ability to:

Make an up-front investment in an offshore business unit

The question of insourcing or outsourcing service delivery brings about a new set of concerns in the context of globalization of business activities. In addition to the factors firms must consider when contemplating outsourcing with an onshore vendor, in shifting business activities offshore, firms must also consider their ability to:

Make an up-front investment in an offshore business unit

After the rush to outsource, the realities of operating in a global labor market start to sink in.

After the rush to outsource, the realities of operating in a global labor market start to sink in.

After the rush to outsource, the realities of operating in a global labor market start to sink in.

The agile movement is now more than five years old, measured from the authoring of the Agile Manifesto. In this time frame, many organizations have implemented agile methods, with many more planning agile transitions.

The agile movement is now more than five years old, and many organizations have implemented agile methods, with many more planning agile transitions. Previous surveys have addressed questions about how organizations are using agile methods or what particular flavor of agile is being used, but we thought it was time to ask a different question: how agile are organizations today?

A number of excellent articles have been written regarding the implementation of agile project management (APM) with offshore developers (see, for example, [1, 2]); I generally agree with their content, and the information still largely applies today. But there are several APM-driven practices identified in these and other similar articles that are out of reach for many of us, largely due to the scale of the majority of today's IT projects.

Like bad weather, information security risks are here for the duration. Maintaining the stance of constant vigilance against persistent threats to information assets requires an information security management structure more disciplined, more organizationally embedded, and, generally, more effective than what some companies have today. In other words, these companies should consider an information security management methodology.

Like bad weather, information security risks are here for the duration. Maintaining the stance of constant vigilance against persistent threats to information assets requires an information security management structure more disciplined, more organizationally embedded, and, generally, more effective than what some companies have today. In other words, these companies should consider an information security management methodology.

Think of all the planning, resource allocation, and tactical decisions managers face in building a more effective information security management system (ISMS). And complexity scales with the size of an organization; just identifying all the assets that require risk mitigation protection can represent a major undertaking. Organizations should seriously consider building a planning and decision-making methodology as the chief vehicle for transporting themselves from ISMS mediocrity to excellence.

Think of all the planning, resource allocation, and tactical decisions managers face in building a more effective information security management system (ISMS). And complexity scales with the size of an organization; just identifying all the assets that require risk mitigation protection can represent a major undertaking. Organizations should seriously consider building a planning and decision-making methodology as the chief vehicle for transporting themselves from ISMS mediocrity to excellence.

Follow the money. That's what corporations are supposed to do in a market economy, and value is to be rewarded with investment. However, when value becomes diffused within corporate structures designed for a bygone era, the appropriate investment does not occur, which generates negative consequences. Today, the investment community does not properly value corporate spending on security and resilience. This is true across our corporate structures.

Follow the money. That's what corporations are supposed to do in a market economy, and value is to be rewarded with investment. However, when value becomes diffused within corporate structures designed for a bygone era, the appropriate investment does not occur, which generates negative consequences. Today, the investment community does not properly value corporate spending on security and resilience. This is true across our corporate structures.

Today, most of our IT budget is spent on third-party costs. The days of building an internal team, creating customized, inhouse developed applications, architecting a homegrown infrastructure, and staffing a single, local help desk are long gone for many companies. No one has the time, money, or resources to experiment with technology anymore. Business demands are too important and immediate. CEOs are expecting a strong ROI from their IT investments.

Today, most of our IT budget is spent on third-party costs. The days of building an internal team, creating customized, inhouse developed applications, architecting a homegrown infrastructure, and staffing a single, local help desk are long gone for many companies. No one has the time, money, or resources to experiment with technology anymore. Business demands are too important and immediate. CEOs are expecting a strong ROI from their IT investments.

Today, third-party costs make up the majority of most IT budgets. In order to get the biggest bang for our company's buck, the accompanying Executive Report argues that a value-based model is necessary. A value-based model focuses on vendor relationships and partnerships, including how to develop and maintain them.

Today, third-party costs make up the majority of most IT budgets. In order to get the biggest bang for our company's buck, the accompanying Executive Report argues that a value-based model is necessary. A value-based model focuses on vendor relationships and partnerships, including how to develop and maintain them.

IT industry

This month, the Cutter Business Technology Council shares its opinions on the business technology trends that will likely impact your organization in 2007 and offers advice for achieving competitive advantage. These predictions will assist you in making informed business decisions that strive toward the optimization of upcoming trends.

IT industry

This month, the Cutter Business Technology Council shares its opinions on the business technology trends that will likely impact your organization in 2007 and offers advice for achieving competitive advantage. These predictions will assist you in making informed business decisions that strive toward the optimization of upcoming trends.

The business rules embedded in software are as old as programming itself. The logical statement if-then-else is an ancient and sacred mantra that directs software behavior and is rightfully attracting new attention with the emergence of business rules management systems (BRMS). Managers not familiar with BRMS would do well to acquaint themselves with this class of IT for several reasons, not the least of which is its potential strategic value in enhancing operational performance.

The business rules embedded in software are as old as programming itself. The logical statement if-then-else is an ancient and sacred mantra that directs software behavior and is rightfully attracting new attention with the emergence of business rules management systems (BRMS). Managers not familiar with BRMS would do well to acquaint themselves with this class of IT for several reasons, not the least of which is its potential strategic value in enhancing operational performance.

The business rules embedded in software are as old as programming itself. The logical statement if-then-else is an ancient and sacred mantra that directs software behavior and is rightfully attracting new attention with the emergence of business rules management systems (BRMS). Managers not familiar with BRMS would do well to acquaint themselves with this class of IT for several reasons, not the least of which is its potential strategic value in enhancing operational performance.

All of the benefits that arise from a company adopting social media as a means to better communicate with customers, partners, and, yes, even competitors hold true within the firm, inside the firewall. A business is a network of conversations within the firewall, and providing blogs as a way for people to better conduct those conversations can be a great way to support or foster them.

All of the benefits that arise from a company adopting social media as a means to better communicate with customers, partners, and, yes, even competitors hold true within the firm, inside the firewall. A business is a network of conversations within the firewall, and providing blogs as a way for people to better conduct those conversations can be a great way to support or foster them.