More Techies Moving Up to Executive Suite
Carl Bass used to spend the better part of his working day developing software. Now, he can usually be found in the company of customers, industry analysts, reporters or venture capitalists.
Carl Bass used to spend the better part of his working day developing software. Now, he can usually be found in the company of customers, industry analysts, reporters or venture capitalists.
For the next five years, large companies will spend a hefty portion of their information technology budgets on best-of-breed software and implementation projects designed to streamline supply chains and manage customer relationships, according to Boston-based AMR Research Inc.
The Internet is quickly turning out a new crop of digital middlemen who claim they can help companies negotiate and close outsourcing contracts faster and more efficiently than ever before. But buyers must also beware.
Last month, American Management Systems Corp. (AMS) promoted Reginald S. Foster from his slot as chief e-commerce officer to the newly created post of chief electronic-business officer. He supervises all internal and client e-commerce activity at the Fairfax, Virginia-based systems integrator, which says such activity made up 40 percent of its US$1.4 billion in revenue last year.
Ariba Inc. today announced it will add integrated logistics capabilities to its business-to-business e-commerce software through a strategic alliance with Descartes Systems Group Inc., a Canadian logistics network in Waterloo, Ontario.
An increasing number of CIOs, information technology directors and software development professionals are launching second careers in the executive suite as CEOs of their companies' dot-com spin-offs or at new internet marketplaces.
Companies large and small are adopting it; in fact the biggest players in some of the world's biggest industries are planning and implementing one of the hottest technologies on the globe: B2B or business to business e-commerce.
Next month, Galileo International Inc. and Sprint Corp. will announce an automated travel-planning tool that lets Sprint cellular phone users tap into Galileo's huge mainframe-based reservation system to create or change travel itineraries on the fly.
Looking to land a plum spot on your company's new e-commerce project team? Here's some advice: Ditch the white dress shirt and Brooks Brothers tie. Show up for work in a pair of khakis and a collared polo shirt instead.
The promises being made about Web-based business-to-business exchanges bring new meaning to the word hyperbole.
Within 20 minutes of his son's birth in 1997, Brian Dunham had digital photos of the newborn posted on his personal Web site. Over the next few hours, family and friends from all over the world were logging on to get a glimpse of the baby.
Within minutes of his son's birth in 1997, Brian Dunham had pictures of the newborn posted on his personal Web site. Over the next few hours, family and friends from all over the world were logging on to get a glimpse of the baby.
What most business-to-business e-commerce customers want from their suppliers' Web sites are just the facts. Requests for business information are usually very specific, such as when and how an order was shipped or how much a company owes on its account.
Problems with a new Internet-based order management system continue to haunt Thomas & Betts Corp., which incurred more than $6 million in additional freight, distribution and customer service costs because of the system issues during this year's first quarter.
Slowly but surely, more software tools and services to help companies on the sell side of the business-to-business e-commerce equation are hitting the market.