Monthly Archives: March 2011

Filling The Big Shoes


Every manager needs to plan for the development and promotion of their staff. Over the past few years the economy has been slow, so for most of us planning on how to hang on to our existing staff has usually … Continue reading

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When Outsourcing Is Mature…


In the last post we talked about where outsourcing is headed for firms that have reached a “mature” stage. That is to say, if you operate out of one or more lower cost locations, all of which passed their “training” … Continue reading

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What To Expect in 2011 Outsourcing…


Without getting too philosophical about it, what’s next depends on what’s already happened at your firm. Since every firm is in a different place, from those who are just dipping their toes for the first time to those who have … Continue reading

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overload, Overload, OVERLOAD…


The term that best defines this week is: Information Overload! Earthquakes, Tsunami’s, Nuclear leaks in Japan, Fault lines under US Nuclear reactors, New war in Libya, Ongoing war in  Afghanistan, Stock market roller coaster, Economy getting better/worse, Growth of the … Continue reading

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Get off of my Cloud (computing)? Ummm… which IS my Cloud?


Cloud computing is certainly getting a lot of attention lately. It’s definitely a big thing, but it’s not a new thing. I’ve said before (and YES, I’m going to say it again) it’s really just the old “Mainframe with a … Continue reading

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Too Smart Phones…


News alert: Smartphones are getting smarter and more powerful!  Hmmm… not new news? How about this one, “Cloud computing is becoming more popular!” Did I hear someone snoring out there? OK, we’ve all heard these stories for so long now … Continue reading

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The New Ownership Of Book & Subscriptions


Corporate libraries have undergone a huge shift over the last couple of decades. The paper based library had to re-invent itself as a digital resource. For years now, information that used to be the domain of the library not only … Continue reading

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Yes, THAT Butterfly Effect…


My childhood image of Japan is forever tied to the giant monster movies of the 60’s and 70’s, chief of which was Godzilla. Sure, everyone remembers Godzilla, rising menacingly out of Tokyo Bay, but there were many other less memorable … Continue reading

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A Moment for Japan…


Rather than the normal discussions of corporate issues, I thought that today we would pause for a moment and just offer our best wishes to colleagues, friends and family in Japan. It’s difficult for us to really understand the level … Continue reading

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Build vs. Buy: Transparent Operations Build Better Products!


Yesterday we looked at the old “Build vs. Buy” question, “When does it make sense to have an internal department develop a product/service, and when does it make sense to use an outside product/service?” We left off saying that a … Continue reading

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