Business Transformation Requires Transformational Leaders

It appears lately that all business consulting has something to do with cloud computing. For instance, an organization I am currently working with has a mandate in place requiring all forward-engineering projects to be developed using a virtualized cloud environment. This effort is, in this organization's "corporate mind's eye," a way to prepare it to move production applications into the cloud, which is something it has not previously done.

It appears lately that all business consulting has something to do with cloud computing. For instance, an organization I am currently working with has a mandate in place requiring all forward-engineering projects to be developed using a virtualized cloud environment. This effort is, in this organization's "corporate mind's eye," a way to prepare it to move production applications into the cloud, which is something it has not previously done.

Much has been discussed about the potential and perils of cloud computing. While there is promise in provisioning elasticity on demand, cautionary tales point to security, interoperability, portability, and privacy, among others. A recent edition of Cutter IT Journal was forward-looking with excellent suggestions on architectural and operational strategies for effective cloud sourcing (see "Cloud Computing: A CIO's Perspective," Vol. 24, No. 7).

A financial services client last month asked me if I had read anything about management and the relationship to "commander's intent." While I had to confess that I had not, I did some quick searching to find out what the concept was about and how it might relate to effective management practice.

This week, we're taking a look back at five of the most read articles in Cutter's Business Technology Strategies practice over this past year. As you might imagine, it was no small task to cull the list and pare it down to just five.

This week, we're taking a look back at five of the most-intriguing articles published in Cutter's Data Insight & Social BI practice over this past year. As you might imagine, it was no small task to cull the list and pare it down to just five articles.

As a business leader you are probably just starting to contend with social networks in your business and often find them to be of questionable value. The "social enterprise" is being touted as the next big thing: the new way to do business and a "social" way to do business. But the next big thing in collaboration is crowds, not the social enterprise.

Our favorite philosopher, the mighty Aristotle, remarks in his book that people are hardwired to enjoy art; it's part of what makes them human.