CIOs must focus more on helping their business become more competitive and must do more to foster its growth. That means spending money to fund new initiatives such as business intelligence, analytics and data warehousing. Great examples include eBay, which reworked its technology platform to scale for rapid growth; PG&E’s use of virtualization software; Amazon’s decision to become a provider of storage and computing services; the Boston Red Sox’s investment in sophisticated scouting software, computerized video analysis and business intelligence tools; and Warner Brothers’ replacement of a legacy film production and distribution system with a digital supply chain.

Read more about how some industry heavyweights have changed their businesses:
- read the article at Baseline

Nothing kills a project faster than silence. When workers aren’t encouraged to say what’s on their minds–especially when it may impact the success or failure of a critical project–the project is probably doomed to failure. But conversations held quickly and effectively can reduce the probability of project management failure by more than 50 percent. The reason, according to a recent study, is that most projects fail for reasons that are widely perceived but rarely discussed. To solve the problem, senior leaders should be willing to listen and take action, hold senior management accountable, and make heroes of early adopters.

For more about the importance of speaking up:
- read the article at The Industry Analyst Reporter

Hiring a contractor to develop an IT system means crafting an RFP, developing a carefully worded statement of work (SOW) and choosing the best contractor for the job. But that’s only the beginning. To make sure your external projects stay on track and deliver the desired results, review the project plan often. In addition, check that documentation tasks are well-defined, the allocation of effort makes sense, milestones are no longer than 30 days apart, contingencies are quantified and project management steps are fully defined.

For more about smooth external contracting:
- read the article at ComputerWorld

After years of earth-friendly talk, Corporate America is finally jumping on the bandwagon, trying to buy and use technology in a more environmentally friendly manner. But it’s not just out of the goodness of their hearts; a slew of environmental regulations and customers’ demands for “green” products are fueling the fire. To cope with the changes, companies are doing what they can to find alternative supplies and are creating more environmentally sound business processes throughout the supply chain. And this issue isn’t going away, so stay abreast of environmental legislation, understand how it can impact your business, learn about new materials and technologies that fit the bill and look for ways to increase use of recycled content or alternative materials.

Learn more about going green:
- read the article at Line56
- and this article at Business 2.0

> New portal for IT governance and project management launched. Article

> Independent security certification body says Vista fails. Article

> Skype, Facetime partner for better enterprise control. Article

> PCI security vendor alliance created. Article

> Most IT managers expect a yearly security event. Article

> Managing rich media. Article

And Finally… IT managers view personal success differently from their bosses. Article