The software world is full of paradoxes. A huge amount has been learned since programmers started writing assembly language nearly 50 years ago, but most of that hard-won knowledge lies unused and ignored. The same mistakes are repeated over and over, year after year. Meanwhile, the industry is swept by periodic waves of intense enthusiasm for the latest innovation.

Only very rarely does the whole IT industry fall in line behind a single set of standards. One thinks of SQL, the Internet, Web protocols, and perhaps C and C++, which all date prior to 1990. Recently, competition has become so fierce that even standards are bones of contention.

The typical IT organization is so busy responding to ever-increasing demands for development and maintenance of its systems that it has not seen the writing on the wall -- continuing to add to the complex webs of interdependent systems is, little by little, closing the door to the future.

As most readers know, UML stands for the Unified Modeling Language, a modeling system and notation standardized by the Object Management Group (OMG) in 1997. An earlier version had been developed by three methodologists -- Grady Booch, James Rumbaugh, and Ivar Jacobson -- who worked for Rational Software.

Now, more than ever, companies are keenly aware of the tremendous benefits associated with understanding current and prospective customers from an economic, attitudinal, and behavioral perspective.

Now, more than ever, companies are keenly aware of the tremendous benefits associated with understanding current and prospective customers. Competitors abound and information is in abundance, yet consumers seem to have less and less time to make informed purchasing decisions -- these are but a few signs of a paradoxical situation [3].

Wireless business intelligence (BI) consists of delivering data access and analysis to mobile corporate users of cell phones and other Web-enabled devices, including PDAs such as Palm, RIM, and Windows CE handheld platforms that are now popular among business professionals and other mobile workers.

Wireless business intelligence (BI) consists of delivering data access and analysis to mobile corporate users of cell phones and other Web-enabled devices, including PDAs such as Palm, RIM, and Windows CE handheld platforms that are now popular among business professionals and other mobile workers.

In Part I of this two-part series (see Business Intelligence Executive Update, Vol. 2, No. 4), we built the business case for why right now may be the most opportune time for small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to aggressively pursue international market entry and/or expansion opportunities and strategies. This is the definition of globalization.

The use of data warehousing and business intelligence (BI) for optimizing supply chain operations is receiving growing interest by the industry. Vendors and IT service providers have introduced new analytical supply chain products and services, and companies are discussing their experiences at conferences and trade shows.

Fundamental progress has to do with the reinterpretation of basic ideas.

-- Alfred North Whitehead

Knowledge management (KM) has attracted considerable attention in recent years. Nonetheless, there are few widely shared definitions of the term itself, much less commonality on how to apply it in business. While this may be true, advances have been made in recent years to help define the field in ways that are both insightful and relevant to the needs of business.

Many companies are trying to create a greater sense of global integration through sharing knowledge. This article describes Shell's early experience developing global communities of practice. These communities link technical staff across globally distributed operations, providing a forum for scientists and engineers to share experiences and help each other.

What do portals, search engines, personnel profilers, and document management systems have in common?

There are at least four answers to this question:

In 1942, after the Allies had achieved a decisive defeat of Germany's Rommel in the North African desert, Winston Churchill, then prime minister of England, addressed Parliament. "This is not the end," he said.

In 1942, after the Allies had achieved a decisive defeat of Germany's Rommel in the North African desert, Winston Churchill, then prime minister of England, addressed Parliament. "This is not the end," he said.

In 1942, after the Allies had achieved a decisive defeat of Germany's Rommel in the North African desert, Winston Churchill, then prime minister of England, addressed Parliament. "This is not the end," he said.

For a service company that delivers quality IT applications, project management (PM) is a fundamental discipline. In fact, project management -- strictly connected with a professional quality management approach -- can become the winning factor in the highly competitive area of application development, where the cost/time/quality factors need to be managed together.

For a service company that delivers quality IT applications, project management (PM) is a fundamental discipline. In fact, project management -- strictly connected with a professional quality management approach -- can become the winning factor in the highly competitive area of application development, where the cost/time/quality factors need to be managed together.

Or Chicago? Or Boston? Or Moscow? This is called distributed software development (DSD), where parts of the development team are located at distant sites. The focus is on distance, and the problem is one of communication between the team members; this is what characterizes a DSD project.

A distributed software development (DSD) strategy is only suitable for very large projects: true or false? In DSD projects, you cannot mix software development with hardware development: true or false? Companies cannot apply DSD to all of their projects -- it is just too difficult to manage: true or false?

You have a lot invested in your outsourcing partnership. The strategic planning that led to your business decision to outsource was most likely driven by a desire to lower cost, reduce delivery times, or improve quality. Regardless of how you got there, you are now in a relationship that has business-critical objectives.

You have a lot invested in your outsourcing partnership. The strategic planning that led to your business decision to outsource was most likely driven by a desire to lower cost, reduce delivery times, or improve quality. Regardless of how you got there, you are now in a relationship that has business-critical objectives.