News

A CIO’s-Eye View of the Debt Ceiling Crisis

The debt ceiling crisis was an economic matter. How it was handled? You can learn a lot from this about what to do in your capacity as business leader … and what not to do.

By Bob Lewis

Aug 3, 2011 4 mins

Business IT Alignment Government Small and Medium Business

ERP Market Shake-Up: What It Means to Your Company

ERP vendors continue to merge and be acquired at a steady pace in 2011. Here are some tips on how you can protect your company's interests as the marketplace continues to shift, from analyst Albert Pang.

By Todd R. Weiss

Aug 3, 2011 4 mins

CIO ERP Systems Enterprise Applications

Google+: 5 Legal Issues for Businesses

As Google+ attracts more users, businesses need to be wary of its implications within the enterprise. Here are five tips from a legal expert to help your company navigate the new Google+ waters.

By Kristin Burnham

Aug 3, 2011 6 mins

IT Leadership Legal Social Networking Apps

How To Reduce Your Application Backlog with SharePoint

In many organizations application backlogs are measured in years, not months or weeks. Here are some critical tips on how you can use Sharepoint to reduce that backlog and get things moving in the right direction.

By Robert Bogue

Aug 3, 2011 6 mins

Developer Enterprise Applications

RIM Unveils New BlackBerrys: 5 Facts You Need to Know

CIO.com's BlackBerry black belt Al Sacco breaks down RIM's latest BlackBerry smartphones, three of which were made official today–the BlackBerry Torch 9810, Torch 9850 and Torch 9860–and offers up notable features and facts about each of

By Al Sacco

Aug 3, 2011 9 mins

Carriers Small and Medium Business Smartphones

Apple Gets Serious About iPad Security, Is It Enough?

Can you send encrypted email from your iPad? Not yet. As iPads pour into the enterprise, CIOs hope Apple can help solve this and other security problems.

By Tom Kaneshige

Aug 3, 2011 5 mins

Compliance Consumer Electronics Tablets

How to Use a Business-Focused Approach in SOA Design and Governance

If you listen to industry discussion of service-oriented architecture (SOA), you are likely to get the impression that SOA is best thought of as a technical approach for application integration. The reality is that SOA is much more.

By Randy Heffner

Aug 3, 2011 6 mins

Enterprise Applications IT Governance IT Leadership

Cut IT Costs for Older ERP Apps With Third-Party Support

Some large enterprises are looking to third-party ERP support providers to reduce their maintenance and support costs by 50 percent or more rather than sticking with their existing ERP vendors. Rebecca Wettemann of Nucleus Research explains the circu

By Todd R. Weiss

Aug 2, 2011 4 mins

ERP Systems Enterprise Applications IT Strategy

Out of Touch CEOs: How to Demotivate Your Employees

When a CEO tells his employees that he's taking a year off to fulfill a longtime sailing dream, does he honestly expect employees to be happy for him?

By Meridith Levinson

Aug 2, 2011 3 mins

IT Leadership

An App For Your Home Decorating Toolbox

PPG Industries' mobile app matches paint colors to homeowners' inspiration

By Lauren Brousell

Aug 2, 2011 1 min

Consumer Electronics Innovation Smartphones

How to Fight Back When Your Boss is Out to Get You

When your boss undermines your every move and even goes so far as to give you a formal, 30-day warning about your performance, you know trouble is brewing. Here's what to do when your "poor performance" is your boss's fault, not y

By Meridith Levinson

Aug 1, 2011 4 mins

Careers

BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Gets Security Nods from Australia, Russia Gov’ts

Both the Australian and Russian governments are currently evaluating RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook for secure government use. Russia is simultaneously considering a government ban of Apple's iPad tablet due to security concerns, according to re

By Al Sacco

Aug 1, 2011 2 mins

Laptops Small and Medium Business Smartphones

BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 Release Imminent; Camera-Less Version Expected

RIM should release its first BlackBerry smartphone with the new BlackBerry 7 mobile OS, the Bold 9900/9930, in the very near future, and the device will likely be available without a camera for organizations that have security policies barring the us

By Al Sacco

Aug 1, 2011 3 mins

Carriers Small and Medium Business Smartphones

Emerging ERP Apps Stores Could Change the Way Enterprises Buy ERP

Imagine shopping for ERP applications for your business the same way you buy apps for your smartphone. . ERP app stores are indeed popping up, and they offer IT departments the opportunity to try out a variety of enterprise apps and add-ons, accordin

By Todd R. Weiss

Aug 1, 2011 6 mins

ERP Systems Enterprise Applications IT Strategy

CIOs Lack Adequate Cloud Computing Knowledge

Cloud computing adoption is increasing rapidly, but CIOs' ability to structure and manage these deals is not keeping pace, according to a second quarter 2011 survey by KPMG Sourcing Advisory.

By Stephanie Overby

Aug 1, 2011 3 mins

CIO Cloud Computing Outsourcing

Can IE9 Save Enterprises Money?

A Forrester study concludes that a migration to Internet Explorer 9 will save an enterprise a few million bucks over three years due to better malware protection and security features and increased user productivity. Let's look at the numbers.

By Shane O'Neill

Jul 29, 2011 3 mins

Malware Microsoft Office Small and Medium Business

How We Chose the 2011 CIO 100 Winners

Our method for selecting this year's CIO 100 winners

By CIO Staff

Jul 29, 2011 2 mins

Innovation

2011 CIO 100 Winners: Setting the Pace for Growth With Innovative IT

The 2011 CIO 100 winners show how IT can become an integral and powerful force for executing strategies for business growth.

By Kim S. Nash

Jul 29, 2011 17 mins

Business Intelligence Cloud Computing

2011 CIO 100: 5 Ways to Win At Project Management

Five 2011 CIO 100 winners share management techniques that helped them execute their innovations

By Rick Swanborg

Jul 29, 2011 3 mins

Project Management Tools

2011 CIO 100: The Judges

Each of the 300-plus applications for the 2011 CIO 100 Awards was reviewed by two members of our judging panel

By CIO Staff

Jul 29, 2011 2 mins

Innovation

2011 CIO 100 Winners: Innovating With IT to Create a Greener Enterprise

A greener enterprise requires new tools for managing critical business processes. Three 2011 CIO 100 winners turned to IT to meet the need.

By Elana Varon

Jul 29, 2011 3 mins

BPM Systems Innovation

H&R Block Shifts from PCs to Virtualized Thin Clients

Tax preparer migrates stores to Wyse machines in an effort to cut costs

By Kim S. Nash

Jul 29, 2011 3 mins

Desktop Virtualization Retail Industry

iPhone Remedies Communication Woes at Texas Children’s Hospital

Healthcare professionals are using the popular consumer device to instantly issue status updates and prioritize alerts, enabling better care

By Cindy Waxer

Jul 29, 2011 2 mins

Consumer Electronics

2011 CIO 100: How Three Companies Are Using IT to Rethink Consumer Services

These 2011 CIO 100 winners applied biometrics, iPod Touches and networking technology to revamp how they deliver core services to customers

By Lauren Brousell

Jul 29, 2011 4 mins

Consumer Electronics Financial Services Industry Small and Medium Business

5 Ways to Lower your ‘VMware Tax’ with vSphere 5

Outraged VMware customers can take steps to minimize their costs under the company's controversial new licensing model.n

By Kevin Fogarty

Jul 29, 2011 9 mins

Server Virtualization System Management Virtualization

Data Center Spending Shake-Up

Survey shows private clouds and server virtualization are driving a shift toward data centers as an operating expenseu2002

By Lauren Brousell

Jul 29, 2011 2 mins

CIO Data Management Virtualization

CIO Resumes: 5 More Mistakes IT Executives Make

From lack of specificity to too much information, IT executives continue to make a variety of basic mistakes on their resumes that get them ignored. Take a look at your resume: Are you making any of the same mistakes outlined in this article?

By Meridith Levinson

Jul 29, 2011 5 mins

Careers IT Jobs

How Cloud Computing Will Change IT: 6 New Predictions

CIO.com's Virtualization and Cloud blogger Bernard Golden presents a clear picture of what the IT world will look like when cloud computing becomes the status quo. The future of IT has never looked more promising.

By Bernard Golden

Jul 29, 2011 10 mins

CIO Developer Internet

Software License Audits: How to Avoid SAP, Rent-A-Center Brouhaha

Keeping track of enterprise software license usage is critical so there are no costly surprises later. It's a lesson Rent-A-Center is learning the hard way as a recent SAP license audit found them owing $9 million in fees for excess use. Here ar

By Todd R. Weiss

Jul 29, 2011 6 mins

Business Intelligence CRM Systems ERP Systems

How Our CIO 100 Award Winners Are Setting the Pace of Innovation

What can companies accomplish when innovation really becomes everyoneu2019s business? The August 1 issue of CIO magazine has the answers.

By Maryfran Johnson

Jul 29, 2011 2 mins

CIO

Cloud CRM: The Politics of Data Ownership and Control

In CRM systems, you've got to be really sensitive to the politics of ownership and control. The cloud doesn't change that any. Here's a look at some general rules that apply to nearly any B2B marketing & sales company.

By David Taber

Jul 28, 2011 6 mins

CRM Systems Cloud Computing Data Management

The Risk Right Under Your Nose

Product development is the biggest differentiating factor in today's hypercompetitive business environment. Lead times continue to shrink, development budgets remain strained, and customers demand more and more features. When it comes designing

By Dallon Christensen

Jul 28, 2011 3 mins

Consumer Electronics IT Strategy Risk Management

Want to Up Your Firm’s Leverage? Boost Jobless Benefits

Companies are willing to take on more debt when their workers are shielded from the costs of joblessness through higher unemployment insurance provided by the government, according to a paper from New York University's Stern School of Business a

By Ed Zwirn

Jul 28, 2011 2 mins

Budgeting Careers IT Strategy

15 Incredibly Useful (and Free) Microsoft Tools for IT Pros

We've dug through the jungle that is Microsoft Downloads and found 15 of the best free tools you've probably never heard of.

By Sandro Villinger, IT World

Jul 28, 2011 7 mins

Project Management Tools Small and Medium Business Windows

Leadership Lessons from Apple CEO Steve Jobs

What can CIOs learn about leadership from Apple CEO Steve Jobs? Plenty. Executive leadership guru Paul David Walker says tech execs should take cues from his marketing savvy and confidence. But leave the arrogance at home.

By Tom Kaneshige

Jul 28, 2011 5 mins

CIO Innovation iPhone

ENIAC Still Influencing Enterprise IT 68 Years Later

What does the world's first electronic computer contribute to today's enterprise IT environment, almost seven decades after its first parts were being assembled? Plenty, including many of the foundations we still use today, says a Universit

By Todd R. Weiss

Jul 28, 2011 6 mins

Data Center Enterprise Architecture Innovation

Is Marketing The Biggest Opportunity For IT Since The Internet?

In today’s fast-paced global economy, examples of how empowered customers and citizens use social technology to influence everything from brands to governments are all around us.

By Forrester Research

Jul 27, 2011 4 mins

IT Leadership Internet Marketing

SAP and Google Maps Team Up to Visualize Corporate Data

SAP and Google have announced a new partnership intended to help enterprises use Google Maps to better visualize their data. Here's how this partnership can help your business use its data even more effectively.

By Todd R. Weiss

Jul 27, 2011 4 mins

Business Intelligence Data Management Data Warehousing

News flash! IT does its best to circumvent capitalism!

Do you have a 21st century workforce? Or is yours mired in 20th century habits?

By Bob Lewis

Jul 27, 2011 4 mins

BPM Systems Microsoft Office Small and Medium Business

Match made in hell: 7 worst tech mergers and acquisitions

We're all waiting to see if pending buyouts by AT&T (T-Mobile) and Microsoft (Skype) will succeed or fail, but many a tech deal over the past decade has been an epic fail. Let's take a look back at the worst murders and executions, er,

By Shane O'Neill

Jul 27, 2011 4 mins

IT Leadership Mergers and Acquisitions

Best Practices for Streamlining Sourcing Life-Cycle Governance

For sourcing organizations to mature, they must understand both the complexity of the sourcing process and the intricacy of each step of the life cycle. Here are some best practices for sourcing and vendor management professionals to follow in order

By Lutz Peichert

Jul 27, 2011 4 mins

Outsourcing

4 New Offshore Captive Center Models

Captive center models have been in play since the early 1980's, and since then, they've changed and evolved. As captive centers become an increasingly important part of offshore work, sourcing and vendor management professionals must work w

By Jan Erik Aase

Jul 27, 2011 4 mins

Data Center Outsourcing

6 Memorable Google Maps Mishaps

Google Maps is a great resource…when it's accurate. Here are some of the most memorable mistakes.

By Kristin Burnham

Jul 27, 2011 3 mins

Internet

Why IT Outsourcing Deals Are Getting Smaller

IT outsourcing deals are getting smaller, particularly in the U.S., as companies are loath to invest the big bucks required for large contracts, according to research by outsourcing consultancy TPI. But that's not the only reason.

By Stephanie Overby

Jul 27, 2011 3 mins

Outsourcing

How Salesforce.com Plans to Extend Its Enterprise Reach

Salesforce.com is taking steps to build a bigger platform to support collaboration, application development and social networking in order to create a larger enterprise presence.

By Chris Kanaracus

Jul 27, 2011 3 mins

CRM Systems Collaboration Software Small and Medium Business

Job Interviews, Lies and Videotape

Do job seekers work harder to impress hiring managers when they know they're going to be videotaped during a job interview? Hardly. See how regrettably a handful of job seekers conducted themselves when they were taped during interviews.

By Meridith Levinson

Jul 26, 2011 4 mins

Careers IT Jobs

Slow Product Ramp-ups Challenge Oracle and SAP

Both companies still have some things to prove to customers as they continue to unveil their product strategies around Oracle's Fusion Apps and SAP's HANA technologies, according to one analyst.

By Todd R. Weiss

Jul 26, 2011 4 mins

BPM Systems Business Intelligence CRM Systems

HTC Bliss is an Android Smartphone for Women…Seriously?

Leaked images of HTC's new "Bliss" smartphone suggest the company may be trying to raise female awareness, and uptake, of the Android mobile OS. But will women embrace the marketing stunt…or avoid it?

By Al Sacco

Jul 26, 2011 3 mins

Small and Medium Business Smartphones iPhone

Is the Apple iPad Unbeatable?

With all the drama of a spaghetti Western, the iPad has taken dead aim at tablet rivals. Android tablets? Stampeding toward oblivion. RIM PlayBooks? Dead on arrival.

By Tom Kaneshige

Jul 26, 2011 4 mins

Carriers Consumer Electronics Tablets

How To Document in the Cloud

Nobody ever has time to document systems. In the cloud, people aren't any more likely to document — but it becomes doubly important to do so. Enter sky-writing: leveraging the cloud to solve this timeless problem.

By David Taber

Jul 26, 2011 5 mins

Cloud Computing