The Real DealThe cyber security threat is a grave and growing national security concern. | A Real StealNonsense. Most cyber threat warnings are being hyped for personal gain and profit. |
"What is the cyber security threat, and how worried -- if at all -- should we be?"
-- Robert N. Charette, Guest Editor
Our goal with this issue is to provide some benchmarking data on the state of the adoption and use of post-PC devices in an attempt to understand whether they have become pervasive and how organizations are approaching their integration in the firm's overall infrastructure. If you need ammunition to spur your action into better action when it comes to a tablet strategy, you can find it here — we have done our job!
Old Wine in a New BottleThe value chain concept dates to 1985, so if it was able to ground business-IT discussions in a rational assessment of IT's contribution to value generation, we'd know it by now. The revival of this notion among architects is going to make IT sound as if they care about business concepts, but the only sure benefit will be to consulting firms' revenues. |
In this issue of Cutter Benchmark Review, we consider the future of customer relationships, the management of those relationships, and the role that IT and the IT shop can play in the evolution of effective customer relationship management (CRM). Right off the bat it's important to ponder some questions that are fundamental to how we understand, on the most basic level, the dynamic and structure of the relationships we have with our customers. Think about the following for a moment: In today's world, is it really possible (or even desirable) to "own" a customer anymore? How is our present use of IT aiding our relationships with our customers? And in the current environment of data overload and incredible accessibility of information and services, is it possible (or even wise) to expect consumers to continue to relinquish control of what is truly theirs, namely, their own personal information?
Replacing a Bad Process Produces Better ResultsAn organization that is operating poorly is better off getting rid of its current process and taking on an entirely new one. That way the bad habits are eliminated at once, and things are done better from day one. |
