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NEWS
System Builders and VARs Unite: The
Year’s Almost Over!
By Keith Newman
I thought 2004 was a lot better than the prior
year. Spending was certainly up, which means good things
for the Channel of resellers and system builders. In fact,
forgetting for the moment all issues: sports, politics and
religion rated, the IT business got solidly back on the
track and deal flow was on the rise seemingly all year.
Larry Kesslin from Let’s Talk Business agreed, “The
number of companies being purchased, the number of companies
going outside their own core skill sets to solve customer
problems with the aid of other resellers is the biggest
trend for the year. This trend will only continue as it
becomes harder and harder to build a successful business
in this market. Solution Providers are going to need to
specialize their business and pick a niche, which requires
having access to other skill sets that you don’t develop
to maintain a strong hold on your client.” But it
was also the year of the Spam, Spy, Phishing and other new
terms that entered the mainstream lexicon. Bob Biddle of
Executive Software put it rather succinctly: “The
most significant trend in 2004 was the onset of even nastier
viruses and spyware...and all the new solutions to try and
stop and block 'em.”
Now, what happens in 2005?
Is there more vendor and channel consolidation?
Do we see a shift to managed services and
technical solutions?
Do system builders focus more on vertical applications?
Most people believe consolidation and strength.
In fact, it’s Darwin’s Theory of Evolution meets
Moore’s Law mixed in with some riverboat gambling
by new players and new plays. We think that by and large
there is a healthier vendor and channel base than what entered
the year. Of course the Intel, Microsoft, HP, Cisco, Symantec
and other leaders will continue to grow but the most exciting
growth will come from early to mid stage solution providers
who can create the most efficient supply and partner chains.
But Kesslin adds another cautious but qualified
point: Prediction for 2005 – Don’t be too optimistic.
I do not believe that the market has turned the corner.
There will be spending, but nothing like these businesses
experienced 5 years ago, which is what many of them are
hoping for. Those companies that pick a niche and execute
(whether that niche is product focused – security,
MSP, etc., or vertical industry focused – K-12 education,
legal, etc.) will do the best. I would also look to the
convergence of different channels in the marketplace starting
to play more together (i.e. telecom and infrastructure companies
working together).
In this issue you will find a bevy of market
research, technology prognostications and solid information
aimed at helping you architect a more successful 2005 game
plan. That, along with your participation in the upcoming
VARVision and System Builder Summit is not a guarantee of
success but are strong, positive steps in that direction.
On behalf of Channel Media and your friends
at Gartner Vision Events, have a great holiday season and
a wonderful new year.
Keith Newman
Editor, ChannelMedia
Outsourcing Getting
Specific
By ChannelMedia Staff US companies
are sourcing industry/domain specific applications more
than ever before according to a recent survey conducted
by Wipro Technologies. This survey, administered at Wipro's
Strategym Conference, held recently in New York, included
data from over 80 senior management executives. The results
were extremely notable, proving that more than 40% of the
respondents were actively sourcing industry specific domain
solutions and another 42% were piloting/researching the
same with active interest. Specific domain/industry centric
solutions that were being sourced included those in the
areas of Customer Services (CRM, Business Intelligence);
Operational Excellence (ERP, Supply Chain, etc.) and Specialized
Industry Solutions (RFID, Risk Management Solution, etc.)
"The findings confirm that global sourcing has now
become mainstream. There is a clear indication that global
organizations are actively outsourcing industry centric
business applications/processes that can sustain innovation
and competitive advantage," said Sudip Banerjee, President
of Enterprise Solutions at Wipro. The survey results also
revealed the strategic character of 'global sourcing', where
it mandated a CXO-led strategic initiative for 50% of the
participating organizations. Even more impressive is that
more than 90% of the organizations are satisfied with the
results of their global sourcing efforts, it is clear clients
are truly satisfied with their partners like Wipro. Global
sourcing is becoming vital for organizations across the
world since it enhances value creation and increases competitiveness.
The topic was explored in detail with over 80 senior management
executives from the US end-user organizations, practitioner
CXOs, industry experts and noted academicians. The Strategym
topics covered blueprints, best practices, insights and
exploring next steps in the evolution of global sourcing.
The event concluded by exploring the critical success factors
across the global sourcing life-cycle, which included establishing
sound governance models, transition/program management,
execution of data security, and measuring the benefits accrued.
CFO Enemy #1: Accurate Forecasting
and Data Collection
More than half of corporate financial officers
say that their biggest challenge is the amount of time it
takes to collect appropriate data for accurate forecasting,
according to results of a survey released by Accenture.
The study, designed to identify the issues and trends that
affect decisions within the corporate finance function,
involved interviews with 200 executives in the United States
and United Kingdom responsible for the financial, treasury
and cash management decisions of their organizations, which
span more than a dozen industries. When asked to select
the area that poses the biggest problem for forecasting,
the greatest number of respondents -- 51 percent -- selected
"time required to collect data." The next two
biggest problems identified were "getting agreement
on objectives and what needs to be done" and "inadequate
data capture tools," cited by 45 percent and 44 percent
of respondents, respectively. Similarly, when asked to select
from a list of elements of the budget and forecasting process
they would most want to change or improve over the next
12 months, 58 percent of respondents cited "time it
takes to collect data" among their top three concerns.
"Data gathering tools" and "Process by which
data is collected" were the next-most-selected items,
each with 48 percent of respondents citing each among their
top three concerns.
"While companies are now able to generate more data
than ever before, thanks to advances in technology, it's
just not getting to the right people quickly enough,"
said Michael Sutcliff, global managing partner of the Accenture
Finance & Performance Management service line. "The
problem is of particular concern for CFOs, who are increasingly
dependent on accurate data to
generate financial management strategies that create long-term
shareholder value." Sutcliff believes that the survey
findings bring into question whether fundamental processes
and tools used to collect and analyze data should be re-examined.
"Substantial investments have been thrown at the finance
function to facilitate more accurate data capture and improve
CFO
accountability, yet most companies are not achieving their
goals for the finance function," said Sutcliff. "Incomplete
data, lack of consensus around forecasting objectives and
outdated collection tools are not just problems isolated
to the finance function anymore -- these are issues that
every area of an organization needs to address." While
finance executives in the United States and United Kingdom
were mostly in agreement about forecasting problems and
improvements, the survey identified significant differences
between respondents in the two geographies regarding how
their organizations were affected during uncertain economic
times. For instance, nearly four times the number of U.K.
finance executives said their businesses had been affected
significantly by volatile economic times than did their
U.S. counterparts; 15 percent versus 4 percent. U.K. finance
executives were at least twice as likely as their U.S. counterparts
to have postponed or eliminated software upgrades such as
CRM and reporting tools (22 percent versus 10 percent),
hardware upgrades (22 percent vs. 10 percent) and additional
enterprise resource planning rollouts (18 percent vs. 6
percent). Twice as many U.S. finance executives said new
compliance requirements have affected their company's success
than did their U.K. counter parts; 44 percent vs. 22 percent.
The survey also sought to identify how the role of the CFO
has evolved. When asked to select qualifications that are
more important to the CFO position today than they were
five years ago, the greatest number of respondents, 82 percent,
cited competency in areas of the organization other than
finance, indicating more pressure to take on non-traditional
roles. Three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents selected
good communication skills, and two-thirds (67 percent) cited
being a team builder.
Gone Phishing and How to Fight Back
It's not only traffic around the malls that's
on the rise this holiday season, but Internet traffic from
scammers is also on the increase according to a security
expert from CyberGuard. Citing reports from the Anti-Phishing
Working Group that indicate a 100 percent increase in the
number of phishing sites between September and October 2004,
Paul Henry, a senior vice president at CyberGuard, states,
"Between 80 and 100 new phishing Web sites are starting
up daily. Scammers are getting much more sophisticated and
they are harder for a user to detect." Urging people
to beware of e-mails offering holiday deals that seem too
good to be true, Henry adds that
consumers should be on guard against a particularly nasty
new phishing scam this holiday season. While many common
phishing cons involve fake e-mails from banks or other financial
interests that lead individuals to fake bank sites, Henry
warns consumers to take care when buying holiday gifts online
this year because scammers are using fake e-commerce sites.
Henry explains how it works: When people search on the Internet
for items they want to buy and click on a link, they are
directed to a legitimate looking Web page and instructed
to "Click here to download images" of what they
want to buy. What they can end up downloading is a self-extracting
zip file that installs a Trojan on their PC. Trojans can
then redirect links to legitimate financial institutions
to fraudulent Web sites allowing the scammer to harvest
the user's credentials. "If it looks too good to be
true," says Henry, "it probably is. Don't let
the Grinch steal your Christmas." Dr. Horst Joepen,
CEO of CyberGuard's Webwasher subsidiary, says that enterprise
customers using the newest versions of Webwasher Content
Security Management have built-in defense against this type
of attack. "Proactive filtering technology, which is
included in CSM 5.1, protects users from Trojans."
Paul Henry, CISSP, is an authority on information security
trends. A frequent speaker and presenter at information
security conferences around the world, Henry has published
numerous articles and white papers and is the author of
the chapter on firewalls in the Information Security Management
Handbook.
Taking it to the WiMAX
Worldwide interoperability for microwave
access (WiMAX) solutions are expected to usher in a new
set of technologies that provide cost-effective wireless
last-mile broadband access to underserved and unserved regions.
For long-term success, WiMAX providers need to focus on
flexibility in responding to demand, and, more importantly,
on forging international and multilateral agreements for
spectrum allocation. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan,
Competitive Assessment of Internet Connection Solutions
for WiMAX Services in Underserved Markets, reveals that
the growing technology will bring a new product offering
to the market place addressing Internet
connectivity solution. "Spectrum is a scarce resource
that must be shared and licensed for quality of operation
and non-interference," says Frost & Sullivan Industry
Analyst Benoit Denis. While entry into an unlicensed spectrum
is free of cost, co-channel or adjacent channel interferences
among distinct systems is a major concern for wireless systems
operating in license-free bands. "Licensed wireless
frequencies are more reliable, since the entire length of
that particular data path is clear of spectral interference
from other wireless technology devices," says Denis.
Consequently, the future of WiMAX lies in the licensed frequency
bands, although early adoption and customer base acquisition
are expected to be major incentives for using unlicensed
requencies. Many large carriers already own spectrum bands
in their target markets. Integrating a WiMAX solution in
their existing infrastructure would ensure quality of service
and generate returns on past spectrum investments. Local
carriers are likely to opt for an unlicensed network in
early development stages compelled by financial constraints.
Despite the intervention of the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) for regulating frequency allocations, lack of
control over the assignment of frequency to specific equipment
is a significant problem for global telecommunication system
providers. The WiMAX forum advocates that global harmonization
or the uniform worldwide allocation of spectrum is crucial
to lowering equipment costs. "To minimize
costs and maximize radio performance, radios must be optimized
for each of the major spectrum bands identified as suitable
for WiMAX deployments," explains Denis. This is likely
to decrease the delays in WiMAX infrastructure deployments
and the risk perception associated with these
investments. Although the WiMAX forum is leading the way
in creating a consensus among industry participants regarding
uniform spectral allocation, support of the ITU is essential
for formalizing such negotiations.
Channel
Digest
By ChannelMedia Staff
TimeSpring Software and Raymark
Xpert Business Systems – announced a resale
agreement whereby Raymark will combine TimeSpring’s
TimeData software with their proprietary XEIS multidimensional
reporting application to provide major retailers with a
real-time, offline database for analysis, reporting and
testing. The combined system offers retailers the ability
to analyze and report data in real-time without slowing
down production or transaction processing. Raymark’s
XEIS enables retailers to extract and view crucial information
gathered in their retail management solutions. Features
include a report layout viewer with a dynamic and easy to
use interface, message center, report designer and scheduling
and email capabilities for distributing information to specified
users or user groups. Based on the .NET framework and being
a truly scalable offering, XEIS is web-based and offers
a streamlined deployment process."Today's retailers
depend on real-time electronic transactions for revenue
recognition, daily operations and their overall competitive
advantage," said Claude Chriqui, President and CEO
of Raymark. "To make the best possible decisions retailers
need to access their data without disrupting ongoing client
transactions at the store level. The TimeData-XEIS system
offers just this, real-time information for reporting and
an important edge in a very competitive marketplace."
Enterprise Storage Solutions, a division
of the North American Computer Products group of Arrow
Electronics, announced that it is the sole North
American distribution agent for Crosswalk, Inc., a new company
bringing storage solutions to the mid-market. Crosswalk's
initial offering, Crosswalk Storage Manager, helps organizations
with five to 200 servers to improve application performance
and boost the efficiency of their storage operations. The
product is designed to give IT directors in these medium-sized
businesses an alternative to the time-consuming inaccuracies
of a manual approach and the complexity and high cost of
an enterprise-focused solution. "The Storage Manager
solution fits a need in markets aligned with our partners'
customers, and they will be eager to know more about a new
product that will serve their yet unmet storage needs,"
said Lance Sedlak, director of marketing, Enterprise Storage,
Arrow Electronics. Crosswalk, which opened its doors for
business in October, evaluated several distributors before
deciding to enter the marketplace with the help of Arrow
Enterprise Storage Solutions." We chose Arrow because
we found its people to be the easiest to work with and the
most proactive in laying out a go-to-market strategy,"
said John LoPorto, vice president of sales at Crosswalk.
At the heart of Arrow's go-to-market strategy are strong
relationships with many of the top storage resellers in
North America, a vital factor in enabling a new supplier
such as Crosswalk to penetrate the end-user marketplace.
Instant messaging is eclipsing email and phone use at the
office, according to a Siemens Business
Services survey released today. 78 percent of employees
surveyed reported that using IM at work boosts their productivity.
The Siemens survey reveals that 76 percent of employees
send fewer emails and 84 percent make fewer phone calls
because they accomplish their communications through IM.
This phenomenon could be the result of team-based projects
that require the real-time collaboration IM delivers. 26
percent of IM users have at least 20 co-workers on their
IM contact lists; an additional 11 percent have at least
50 co-workers. Companies in North America are responding
and adapting to the call for instant messengers as 71 percent
of employees polled say their employers encourage the use
of IM as a productivity tool. "When IT teams adopt
IM as a legitimate enterprise application and treat it as
such - productivity increases dramatically," said John
McKenna, CEO of Siemens Business Services, Inc., North America.
"Specifically, IT management will need to create security
measures and an IM policy that includes protocol for appropriate
use." He continued, "There is no better return
on investment for IT than a more productive workforce. Obviously,
IM has entrenched itself alongside phone and e-mail as a
productive communication tool."
LPI Level Platforms recently announced
MSP Now!, a major milestone in its mission to help IT services
providers of all sizes realize high margin recurring revenues
from managed services. Combined with its market leading
remote monitoring software, Managed Workplace, LPI’s
comprehensive partner program called MSP Now! makes it easy
for VARs to implement remote monitoring and managed services
immediately, with fast, measurable profitable results. “With
Managed Workplace and MSP Now! VARs get a complete MSP-in-a-box
and are fully operational within days,” said Peter
Sandiford, CEO of LPI. “For a few hundred dollars
a VAR receives the entire training program as well as software
licenses to get up and running with five customers. By the
end of our Four Weeks to Profit implementation period, VARs
are already cash positive and on their way to an exciting
new future for their business.” “The MSP Now!
program provided the complete business toolkit required
for us to go to market in an efficient and profitable fashion,”
said Matt General, VP of Engineering at Entisys Solutions
in Concord, CA. “LPI’s commitment to understanding
our business model and service delivery process is helping
us design and deploy a managed services solution that is
tailored exactly to our customers’ specific needs.
The recommendations and guidance offered by LPI provided
us with a meaningful and immediate return on investment.”
Tim Larocque, LPI’s Director of Partner Programs,
said “We want new customers to learn how to position
and sell managed services in minutes, not days. By the time
they’ve signed up, they already understand the potential
value recurring revenue sales will have on their business
– our job is to make sure they get there. Our aim
is for LPI customers to start signing up their clients effortlessly
and immediately. Selling and delivering managed services
doesn’t have to be rocket science – we offer
a straight-forward turn-key solution and methodology that
is easy to understand and implement!” MSP Now! is
built upon the development of a best practices methodology
and roadmap that is designed to help partners generate business
right away, avoid the pitfalls that others have experienced
in offering managed services, and completely eliminate the
financial risk. Through a comprehensive Managed Services
Project Guide and supported by a series of interactive webinars,
LPI provides assistance with partners’ implementation
of the program every step of the way.
The Computing Technology Industry
Association and AIM Global –
The Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
today announced they are working together to develop a vendor-neutral,
multi-dimensional certification program for radio frequency
identification (RFID) technology. The certification initiative
will help address an industry-wide shortage of professionals
knowledgeable about RFID. Many companies eager to adopt
the technology are beginning to be slowed in their efforts
by a scarcity of qualified RFID integrators. Organizations
are also challenged because many of the skills required
for successful RFID implementations are not typically associated
with information technology staffs. As RFID adoption grows
in 2005 and beyond, the skills shortage will become ever
more pronounced. "From the physics of the hardware
installation to the challenges of integrating RFID-generated
data with existing business processes, a broad base of expertise
is required for successful implementation," said David
Sommer, vice president, electronic commerce, CompTIA. "Working
with AIM, recognized as the worldwide authority on automatic
identification and mobility, and other organizations we
can structure a vendor-neutral certification to address
the hardware, software and business process needs created
by RFID." "AIM members can play a critical role
in the RFID certification development process through our
work with CompTIA," said Dan Mullen, president, AIM
Global. "This collaborative effort is in line with
our ongoing work to develop educational materials that help
business and industry better manage the collection and integration
of data with information management systems."
CDW today announced "Tech
Twister," a new technology makeover and mentor program
designed for small businesses of fewer than 100 employees
and featuring technology solutions from IBM, Intel Corporation
and Linksys. Five companies will be selected to receive
a technology makeover, each valued up to $75,000. The makeovers
help small businesses benefit from the latest technology,
allowing them to enhance competitiveness and growth by enabling
better customer service, business processes and employee
productivity. Many small businesses, that often don't have
dedicated IT staff, understand the benefits of technology
but are challenged by the extensive array of solutions and
evaluating the return on investment. Tech Twister aims to
help small businesses explore the innovative technology
available today and how it will help them operate more efficiently.
"Tech Twister is an example of our ongoing desire to
be more responsive to customers' needs," said Norm
Lillis, vice president of small business and emerging markets
at CDW. "We chose the name Tech Twister because technology
changes at such an extraordinary pace. The technology and
advice from an advanced technology makeover can help a small
business embrace change and be more competitive quickly."
The technology solutions offered by the Tech Twister makeover
program will focus on enhancing mobility, enabling wireless
computing, improving productivity with desktop PCs or growing
business with servers. The program creates a platform to
exchange lessons learned and showcase the benefits of new
technologies for small businesses. In addition to receiving
technology, the chosen companies will receive mentors, who
will help each business evaluate its unique challenges and
determine the right technology solutions. Mentors will range
from technical engineers to senior executives
who have experience building businesses.
HP and Brocade Communications
announced an integrated offering designed to reduce acquisition
and operating costs in industry-standard blade environments
for enterprise and small and mid-size business customers.
As part of an agreement between the companies, Brocade's
storage area network (SAN) switching capability will be
fully integrated into the HP BladeSystem architecture. This
provides customers with flexible SAN connectivity and can
reduce fabric infrastructure cost by greater than 50 percent
by eliminating fabric switch infrastructure components and
cables no longer necessary in a HP BladeSystem environment.
The collaboration between HP and Brocade provides the first
optimized, embedded Fibre Channel fabric switch for the
HP BladeSystem portfolio to improve networked storage performance
and SAN management. Building on HP's integrated blade infrastructure
approach, the agreement enables HP ProLiant server blades
to be 100 percent compatible with Brocade fabric switch
technology for current and future HP BladeSystem customers.
"The worldwide blade server market is growing rapidly,
yet switch compatibility remains a top-of-mind issue for
customers," said John Enck, vice president and research
director, Gartner Research. "SAN infrastructure vendors
who partner with blade system vendors to develop and integrate
switch modules for blade solutions are clearly addressing
increased customer demand for a more efficient data storage
footprint, decreased complexity in the data center and greater
blade/SAN connectivity and adoption." "Customers
today are demanding industry standards -- technology they
have already come to rely on in their existing IT environments,"
said Rick Becker, vice president and general manager, BladeSystem
Organization, HP. "In teaming with Brocade, HP is driving
the blade industry to grow into more of a volume market
by offering the best in hardware standards, automation management,
services and virtualization technologies." The HP BladeSystem
with the industry-first four gigabit (GB) per second embedded
Brocade SAN switch module consolidates servers and storage
connectivity into a single architecture, increasing rack
space optimization by 50 percent, providing easier connection
and management of multiple servers attached to SAN environments,
high availability and the flexibility to non-disruptively
add resources as needed. The switch option will provide
a low-cost, scalable, high-performance SAN server to storage
integration and be fully interoperable with Brocade fabrics
infrastructures. "HP's BladeSystem represents the future
of scalable infrastructure optimized for the Adaptive Enterprise,"
said Tom Buiocchi, vice president of marketing at Brocade.
"With an installed base of more than 4.1 million ports,
Brocade fabric switch technology is the world's most widely
installed SAN infrastructure and our work with HP to embed
Brocade SAN connectivity into its blade infrastructure will
enable delivery of flexible services that better link IT
with business needs."
ChannelWave, Inc., the leader
in channel management and commerce solutions and managed
services, today announced that Wyse Technology,
the domain experts in server-centric computing (SCC), has
partnered with ChannelWave to launch PartnerLink, an advanced
online resource center for Wyse’s global channel partners
to access customized and consolidated information on Wyse
products, sales, marketing and training. The online Web
portal, built on ChannelWave’s Partner Relationship
Management (PRM) solution, offers all Wyse Platinum and
Authorized partners easy, integrated access to the information
and resources they need to drive higher sales revenues and
profits with Wyse.
“We selected ChannelWave as the foundation
of the Wyse PartnerLink program because of its superior
flexibility and configurability over competing PRM solutions,”
said Kristina Lipari, partner marketing manager at Wyse.
“The information, training, and customized access
options are meeting with considerable success in attracting
channel partner interest and adoption. We've had nothing
but positive partner feedback to date.”
PartnerLink is a content-rich portal that
provides partners with the latest product information, part
numbers, sales tools, marketing collateral, program benefits,
product training, and more – when they need it most.
The site offers Web-based product training for resellers
to quickly learn new features, functions, and specifications
for Wyse devices and software. PartnerLink also delivers
targeted communications based on individual partner personnel
profiles for specialized promotions, incentives and real-time
technology updates to channel partners. Using ChannelWave’s
flexible, highly configurable interface, PartnerLink allows
resellers to personalize their homepage for better integration
and brand consistency with respective company sites.
“With the accelerated pace of leading
thin client products that Wyse has recently announced, the
ability to empower the channel with easy access to valuable
business resources creates a compelling competitive advantage
for Wyse, its partners and end-customers,” said ChannelWave
President Chris Heidelberger. “ChannelWave offers
companies a unique solution for increasing productivity
and efficiency, driving revenue growth and profits and strengthening
visibility and decision-making across channels.”
PartnerLink is accessible via a partner password
for secure access protected by ChannelWave technology for
complete privacy and confidentiality of information. Partners
are able to update and access their own information based
on a secure connection for a single source of deal workflow
and collaboration. The PartnerLink resource is part of a
comprehensive partner program from Wyse that supports over
1,800 value-added resellers in the U.S. dedicated to selling
high-performance server-centric solutions to meet the needs
of customers. The Wyse Partner Program attracts five new
partners a week on average, and received the five-star rating
in the VARBusiness Partner Programs Guide in 2003.
Napster, a division of Roxio
(Nasdaq: ROXI - News), today announced that Napster To Go,
the world's first portable music subscription service, is
available for users of the new AT&T Wireless- based
Audiovox SMT5600 Smartphone. The Napster To Go / Audiovox
SMT5600 compatibility enables the only mobile phone in the
U.S. market to allow music fans to seamlessly transfer and
play an unlimited number of full-length songs on the go
for one low monthly price of $14.95. The Smartphone also
supports individual tracks purchased by Napster subscribers
or downloaded a la carte from the Napster Light store.
"Napster was the first service to make
the promise of the portable subscription model a reality,
and today we are taking that innovation to the wireless
marketplace," said Chris Gorog, Napster's chairman
and CEO. "This new phone from Audiovox and AT&T
Wireless furthers Napster's mission to provide music lovers
with the ability to conveniently enjoy the most comprehensive
digital music experience available."
The Audiovox SMT5600 comes with 28.5mb of
internal flash memory which can hold up to 6 songs. Consumers
can purchase miniSD memory chips for additional song storage
in either 128mb or 256mb varieties, which can hold approximately
two and four hours of songs respectively. MiniSD chips are
currently widely available for under $25 each.
Powered by the Windows Mobile 2003 Second
Edition Software, the new Audiovox SMT5600 contains the
latest in personal information management (PIM) functionality
such as over-the-air access to Outlook Calendar, Inbox and
Contacts. In addition to these productivity-focused features,
the Audiovox SMT5600 also features the CMOS VGA digital
camera with camcorder functionality, a speakerphone and
conference calling functionalities, includes pocket versions
of Microsoft Outlook, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger
and is enabled for Bluetooth and infrared support. Compatible
with all PCs running Windows XP, the Audiovox SMT5600 weighs
just 3.6 ounces and is available through AT&T wireless
for as little as $149.99 after rebates with a two-year voice
and data service contract.
In September 2004, Napster previewed the unprecedented,
fully portable digital music subscription service, Napster
To Go. Expected to officially debut later this year with
the release of Napster 3.0, Napster To Go is currently available
via a plug-in to the Windows Media Player 10 at an introductory
$14.95 per month and lets consumers move an unlimited amount
of music from Napster's massive library to compatible MP3
players and portable devices.
Cisco Systems, HP, Microsoft and Intel
today announced the formation of a new supply chain working
group to develop integrated implementation plans for the
recently announced Electronics Industry Code of Conduct
(EICC). The code was recently developed to establish and
promote
unified industry expectations for socially responsible practices
across the electronics industry's global supply chain. The
new working group, facilitated by Business for Social Responsibility
(BSR), will develop common mechanisms and tools that will
enable compliance with the Code. HP facilitated collaboration
on the code between itself, Dell, IBM and electronics manufacturing
companies Celestica, Flextronics, Jabil, Sanmina SCI, and
Solectron. Released on Oct. 21, the code paves the way for
a harmonized approach for monitoring suppliers' performance
across several areas of social responsibility, including
labor and employment practices, health and safety, ethics,
and protection of the environment. The endorsement of the
code by Cisco, Microsoft and Intel is recognition of the
value of collaborating on a common set of expectations,
and together with HP they seek to clarify and simplify approaches
to implementation. By working together, these companies
and others that join this initiative hope that their collective
efforts will have greater impact on improvements in social
and environmental practices worldwide. The companies will
work collaboratively with vendors and partners in the supply
chain to develop common approaches to supplier survey, reporting
methods, auditing tools, risk assessments and programs to
enhance supplier capabilities. The group encourages other
companies to endorse the code and join this industry initiative
to harmonize business processes, tools and resources. The
joint effort reflects the participating companies' commitment
to leadership in the area of corporate social responsibility
and their desire to help vendors streamline their reporting
requirements and make performance easier to verify. "We're
committed to supporting socially responsible business practices
across the globe," said Steve Darendinger, vice president,
World Wide Supply Chain Management for Cisco. "This
partnership speaks to that commitment. By collaborating
with Intel, HP and Microsoft on this initiative we have
deepened our relationships with both our suppliers and partners
and expect to see greater productivity and accountability
in the sector." "Microsoft's support for the EICC
and our participation in this industry working group are
extensions of our commitment to global corporate citizenship
and responsible business practices," said Todd Holmdahl,
Microsoft corporate vice president. "We believe this
collaboration is an important step in helping ensure safe
working conditions and environmentally-responsible manufacturing
practices throughout our global supply chain." "For
more than two years, HP has had codes and processes in place
to help our suppliers improve their overall level of performance
over time, and we have consistently executed on this plan,"
said Dick Conrad, senior vice president, Global Operations
Supply Chain for HP. "With global leaders such as Intel
and Cisco coming on board to support the Code of Conduct
HP facilitated, the lives of even more workers around the
world can be improved." "Intel has been in the
forefront of this issue since 1998, and this new unified
code matches our current supplier expectations very well.
We believe that real strength of this code of conduct lies
in its implementation," said Roger Whittier vice president
Technology and Manufacturing Group for Intel. "By working
together to put these tools and mechanisms in place we are
creating a framework that allows the industry to build awareness
and improve adherence to the code on a worldwide basis."
Symantec announced Symantec
Global Intelligence Services, integrated services providing
customers with the critical intelligence needed to reduce
security risks, improve regulatory compliance, and strengthen
their overall security posture. Symantec Global Intelligence
Services provide customers with the most comprehensive view
of Internet attack activity. This new offering
combines the expert monitoring and management of Symantec
Managed Security Services, with Symantec DeepSight Early
Warning Services, the world's premier early warning service.
"Customers need to proactively respond
to today's diverse security threats in order to protect
their most critical asset, their information," said
Arthur Wong, vice president, Symantec Security Response
& Managed Security Services. "Symantec Global Intelligence
Services provides unmatched security expertise with in-depth
remediation plans to ensure that our customers can
keep their businesses up, running, and growing regardless
of today's global security threats." Symantec Global
Intelligence Services enable customers to substantially
reduce risks associated with Internet attacks by providing
centralized access to data produced by security devices
deployed throughout the customer's enterprise and global
threat information. This global threat
information is provided by Symantec DeepSight Alert Services'
unmatched vulnerability intelligence and Symantec DeepSight
Threat Management System's real-time data from a network
of more than 20,000 sensors deployed in 180 countries. In
the midst of a threat, adding this external picture of security,
which includes personalized recommendations and alerts from
a team of Symantec analysts, offers customers proactive
steps on how to best to protect their infrastructure.
"Complex worm and virus threats require organizations
to go beyond traditional technology solutions," said
Paul Proctor, vice president of Security and Risk Strategies
at META Group, a leading provider of IT research, advisory
services and strategic consulting. "Long range
vulnerability research and current threat information can
give organizations critical time to plan responses to threats
such as prioritizing remediation, patching, and other emergency
response activities." Through the Symantec Secure Internet
Interface, Symantec Managed Security Services customers
with Symantec Global Intelligence Services, will have a
centralized view of
consolidated security intelligence, greatly reducing the
time and resources otherwise needed to collect information
from a number of disparate sources. Customers can make better,
more informed, decisions about prioritizing patches and
other risk mitigation, before a threat even hits their network.
The result is a stronger, more resilient enterprise. Customers
can choose to
receive early warning notifications of global threats that
may impact their own environment based on operating systems,
applications and network technologies, along with monitoring
and notification of threats currently attempting to impact
their enterprise. These notifications can be delivered via
e-mail, voice, fax, and SMS text messaging, enabling security
personnel to receive timely alerts relevant to their enterprise
environment and scope of responsibility. For even greater
efficiency, organizations can also choose when to be notified
based on threat severity, delivery method and more. To help
manage risk and comply with security regulations, customers
can analyze and compare their network event data with global
data, including trends for companies within the same industry
or country. By offering unique reporting capabilities and
the ability for customers to compare their internal data
to the global landscape, customers can demonstrate security
benchmarking for regulatory compliance. Global Intelligence
Services are
available today through Symantec Managed Security Services
distribution channels and are available as an optional add-on
to Symantec Managed Security Services. Symantec Managed
Security Services leverages global intelligence to offer
fast and accurate analysis of security data to protect customers
against emerging threats and reduce overall security risk.
Its 24x7 real-time services enhance an organization's information
security posture through continuous monitoring and management,
expert analysis, and immediate response to potential security
threats.
LPI Level Platforms Inc. announces the release
of Managed Workplace 3.2, a subscription-based network performance
monitoring and service management software product designed
and built for VARs and IT service providers supporting multiple
small and medium size or distributed enterprise customer
sites.
Managed Workplace 3.1 was released in June
2004 and within months became the leading service management
product for VARs and IT service providers adding more than
50 VARs a month. On November 10, 2004, Managed Workplace
3.1 was selected as the winner of the highly prestigious
Networking Infrastructure Solution of the Year
in the 2004 Microsoft Partner Program IMPACT Awards. Managed
Workplace 3.2 builds on the rich feature base of 3.1 adding
extensive new functionality to extend its market leadership
position.
Managed Workplace 3.2 adds robust features
and functionality throughout, but the release is especially
highlighted by the addition of:
- Full SNMP monitoring
- Fast, simple customer deployment through
standardized product monitoring templates with Small Business
Server, MS Exchange, Cisco routers and many others
- Extensive network service monitoring
- Scheduled executive reporting
- Integration with Microsoft® CRM
In addition to extensive use of WMI for Microsoft
environments, long a cornerstone of Managed Workplace, full
SNMP monitoring now enables network administrators to monitor
network devices on any system including UNIX®, Linux®,
Solaris®, Windows, and more. SNMP helps them monitor
network performance, find and solve network problems, and
plan for network growth. Managed Workplace allows access
to all SNMP MIBs and complete collection of SNMP traps.
An intuitive point-and-click process allows
quick, easy, and standard deployment of service groups,
device monitoring, and alerting rules using robust, tested
configuration templates. Customizable templates for product
and device monitoring allow VARs and IT service providers
to quickly set up monitoring on specialized services such
as Small Business Server, MS Exchange, and Cisco routers,
and many more.
Black Box said that it has launched a new
service, "Talk to a Sales Rep," on its Web site,
www.blackbox.com.
By clicking on a button on the company's home page, visitors
to the Black Box Web site can submit a request to have a
sales rep call them back within a record-setting 20 seconds!
The quick response time is in keeping with the company's
tradition of answering all
calls to the Customer Sales & Service (CS&S) and
Tech Support departments in 20 seconds or less. The new
service is designed to give clients using the Web site fast
yet personalized assistance. The client simply enters their
name and phone number, and the system does the rest! Within
seconds, a courteous and knowledgeable sales rep will call
the client back, ready to assist with all of their customer
service needs. The responding sales rep can help a client
find a product, check pricing, determine availability, review
shipping options, place an order, and more. If a client
needs technical assistance, the call may be referred to
Black Box's industry leading Technical Support department.
The "Talk to a Sales Rep" service is currently
available in the United States. This service is set up in
the same manner as Black Box's "Talk to a Tech"
service. Now customers needing either Technical Support,
or Customer Service assistance will have access to this
fast and efficient service. Black Box offers comprehensive,
multi-site data, voice, and hotline services for both small
and large clients in multiple cities, states, and countries.
The Company handles start-to-finish data services for wired
and wireless systems, as well as new and upgraded voice
systems designed to a client's exact specifications. Black
Box's catalogs have won numerous awards in recent years,
including Catalog Age magazine's Catalog of the Year for
the 2003-2004 BLACK BOX® Catalog and top honors in the
Computer Equipment and Software category nine years in a
row.
Software maker BEA Systems
said third-quarter earnings rose 15 percent on higher services
revenue. The company's shares closed earlier up 1 percent
at $8.19 on the Nasdaq, but rose 1.7 percent, or 14 cents,
to $8.33 in after market trading. For the three months ended
Oct. 31, the company posted a profit of $33.5 million, or
8 cents per share, up from $29 million, or 7 cents per share,
last year. Excluding items, the company posted pro forma
earnings of $36.5 million, or 9 cents per share, in the
latest quarter. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call
were looking for the company to post earnings of 8 cents
per share on sales of $262.9 million in the latest quarter.
Revenue rose 5 percent to $264.4 million from $252.1 million
last year. A leap in quarterly services revenue offset declines
in license revenue, which fell to $114.9 million from $128.2
million a year ago.
Pomeroy IT Solutions said
that third-quarter profit declined year-over-year due to
restructuring charges associated with the acquisition of
Alternative Resources Corp. and a severance package for
its founder and former CEO. Quarterly earnings fell to $1.9
million, or 15 cents per share, from $2.6 million, or 21
cents per share, a year ago. Excluding $1.5 million restructuring
and severance charges, the company posted earnings of 27
cents per share in the latest quarter. Total sales were
up 27 percent to $200.5 million from $158.1 million in the
third quarter of fiscal 2003.
Junction Solutions announced
the kick off of the national roadshow, "Gaining an
Integrated View of Your Multi-Channel Business", co-sponsored
by Microsoft and Junction Solutions. The roadshow, which
is scheduled to kick-off in Irvine, Texas on November 11th,
2004, will continue on to include Chicago, Illinois, Malvern,
Pennsylvania and Los Angeles, California throughout the
end of the year at exciting venues such as the United Center
Stadium, Staples Arena and beautiful Microsoft campuses.
During its fourth quarter tour, the road show will focus
on communicating the business advantages that the Microsoft
Axapta for Multi-Channel Retail solution offers to mid-market
multi-channel retailers, direct marketers and wholesale
distributors including a single view across all consumer
touch points such as web, kiosk, catalog and the call center
in order to better service customers and optimize business
processes. Junction Solutions also bundles wireless warehouse
capabilities and Microsoft's Point-of-Sale functionality
into Microsoft Axapta resulting in a fully integrated enterprise
multi-channel solution with the largest breadth of modules
available in the industry. "We are excited about the
opportunity to kick off a national campaign in conjunction
with Microsoft, said Brian Carpizo, President and CEO at
Junction Solutions. "These seminars are a great opportunity
to understand the business advantages that the Microsoft
Axapta for Multi-Channel Retail solution offers multi-channel
retailers, direct marketers and wholesale distribution companies
while mapping business objectives with productivity and
return on investment through technology adoption."
Breece Hill announced
that Access Distribution will begin distributing
the company’s full line of tape automation and integrated
information storage appliances. Access Distribution will
also actively participate in recruitment and development
of new partners. Access Distribution will offer Breece Hill’s
comprehensive line of information storage and retrieval
solutions to resellers based in the U.S. and Canada. This
includes Breece Hill¹s award-winning iStoRA 4000 Disk-to-Disk-to-Tape
(D2D2T) solution, INTEGRITY data protection software, its
tape autoloaders and libraries that support AIT, DLT/SDLT
and LTO tape formats as well as the MaxOptix magneto optical
drives and libraries.The reputation of Access Distribution
as a value-added distributor made them a clear choice for
Breece Hill to assist in our market expansion strategy,
said Phil Pascarelli, President at Breece Hill. Our partners
will benefit from their expertise and market presence while
we continue to bring new offerings to meet the growing demand
in the SMB and workgroup sectors. Breece Hill’s storage
solutions extend and complement the Access Distribution
portfolio of solutions for data management, business continuity
and disaster recovery. In addition, Breece Hill products,
which are geared towards the SMB and workgroup sectors,
will help Access Distribution resellers take advantage of
this growing industry segment. The solution strategy of
Access Distribution and Breece Hill’s product line
improves our ability to meet our customer needs, especially
in backup/recovery and archiving, said Jim Kegelmeyer, President
of ServerWare Corporation. This agreement is a great fit
for resellers servicing the storage needs of the small to
medium business. iStoRA makes backup/recovery so much easier
to manage and now it has the support of Access Distribution.
SAVE THE DATE!
May 22-25, 2005
Spring VARVision,
System Builder Summit and EnterpriseVision
The Westin
Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida
In four business-intensive
days, participants at System Builder Summit &
VARVision and EnterpriseVision will preview and
discuss the latest IT market and channel solutions,
engage in productive private and group meetings,
hear the latest trends and strategies in Industry
Insight sessions, and be part of high-end networking
events.
The proven and successful
format is uniquely effective at building strong
partnerships between IT sellers and buyers. The
Event will:
Invite and host the
top System Builders, VARs, Enterprise Solution
Providers and Home Integrators in the United States
and Canada.
- Feature a dynamic lineup of
established and emerging technology Vendors.
- Present a business-intensive
agenda designed to put Vendors and the hosted
Solution Providers and Resellers in multiple
face-to-face settings – in Private Boardroom
Appointments limited to 8-10 Solution Providers
or Resellers, private One-on-One meetings,
World Premieres, Industry
- Insights presentations from
Gartner analysts, an industry Awards program,
and a series of networking events.
|
|
| Introducing
the Macromedia Authorized Breeze Partner
program. Macromedia
Breeze is a rich web communications
solution ideal for organizations of
every size to rapidly train and deliver
information to its employees and partners.
We’d like to extend
an invitation to speak with a representative
and we’ll demonstrate how a strategic
partnership with Macromedia can open
the thriving web conferencing, e-learning
and collaboration markets to your business—a
business complemented by repeat sales
and your value added services.
With IDC forecasting the
e-learning market at $2.3 billion and
web conferencing licenses and maintenance
topping $1.1 billion by 2007, the opportunity
is tremendous.
To speak with a representative
please email: partners@macromedia.com |
|
|
RESEARCH
Voice Over IP Continues to Connect
with Business
By Dell’Oro Group
A report from Dell'Oro Group reveals that Voice over IP
continues to gain ground in the enterprise PBX market. According
to the Dell'Oro Group report, in the third quarter of 2004
the number of VoIP lines shipped grew to more than 2.1 million,
a 14 percent increase quarter-over-quarter and a 39 percent
increase over the same quarter last year. Traditional lines
gained only four percent to 9.6 million, as VoIP replaces
traditional lines in businesses. In the seasonally strong
third quarter, total PBX line shipments also grew six percent
quarter-over-quarter. "Currently one in five lines
shipping is VoIP," said Steve Raab, Director of IP
Telephony Research at Dell'Oro Group. "Considering
the total installed base of PBX lines, cumulative VoIP shipments
represent two percent of lines in use today, indicating
that while VoIP has gained some market acceptance, obviously
much of the opportunity in this market transition is still
to come."
Total Worldwide PBX Lines Shipped
| Total Market |
3Q04 |
Qtr./Qtr. Growth |
| Line shipments |
11.8 M |
6% |
| Vendor |
Rank |
Growth |
| Nortel |
1 |
12% |
| Avaya |
2 |
17% |
| Siemens |
3 |
9% |
| Alcatel |
4 |
-4% |
| NEC |
5 |
30% |
| Cisco |
6 |
8% |
New Niche: Powering Up Residential
Systems
By Roberto Torres, Frost & Sullivan Research
Director
North American households' increasing dependence
on electrical and electronic devices in daily routines has
made the supply of uninterrupted and good quality power
a necessity. Onsite residential power systems are gaining
in popularity as reliable alternatives to utility power
due to
increased support from the government as well as growing
instances of power outages. Most builders are standardizing
the use of onsite power systems in the construction of new
homes, propelling growth. New analysis from Frost &
Sullivan reveals that revenue in this market totaled $458.1
million in 2004 and projects to reach $949.7 million in
2011.
"The spotlight of the onsite residential power market
is moving from the retrofit market to the new home construction
sector, persuading participants to choose one or focus on
both”, explains Frost & Sullivan Research Director
Roberto Torres. "Each category would require a unique
marketing strategy to effectively capture the relevant markets."
For the new home construction market, manufacturers need
to forge partnerships with homebuilders, providing evidence
of demand for onsite power and explaining its benefits and
how onsite power could give the builder a competitive advantage
over rival developers. For instance, large savings on utility
bills and contributions to a green environment are obvious
selling points in the case of photovoltaics, whereas security,
peace of mind, and convenience are key selling points for
generator sets for emergency power. However, there are many
factors working in favor of utilities. The forthcoming energy
bill passing is expected to increase investment in the transmission
grid and improve the quality of utility-supplied power.
Efforts are also on to upgrade and expand the network through
flexible alternating current (AC) transmission technologies,
superconducting cables, and next-generation grid-control
and operation systems.
"The expected price decline for natural gas and oil
and breakthroughs in clean coal technology bode well for
utilities," notes Torres. "Utilities might be
able to fulfill all end-user demands at lower costs as soon
as they add more solar and wind energy to the generation
mix by means of renewable portfolio standards."
To overcome the threat posed by utility supplied power,
participants in the onsite backup power market need to work
toward reducing the cost of units. Most onsite residential
power systems are considered expensive options. The centralized
power system is under threat from market forces, technical
innovations, and regulatory trends, offering onsite power
systems a chance to gain a foothold in the market. Moreover,
the high costs of utility power in certain states, such
as California, are propelling homeowners to seek alternative
power sources. Market participants must work toward improved
onsite residential systems power quality. Homeowners are
increasingly reliant on power-fueled equipment such as computers
and other similar devices and power from onsite systems
is not of the same quality as utility power. This could
negate the benefits of backup power, zero fuel costs, and
no utility bills.
"Research and development must focus not just on lower
cost designs but also on system performance in terms of
voltage sags and swells, flicker, harmonics, and DC power
components," observes Torres. "The problem is
more complicated with grid-interconnected systems, where
disturbances on the power grid can impact the home power
system. Participants must also solve
the problem of balance of system components such as inverters."
COMMUNITY
Finally, oh yeah, Holiday
Shopping
It's a fact that often times
shopping online is the most convenient way to manage your
holiday shopping. Shopping smart means not only saving
money but, more importantly, saving time. Imagine being
able to go to the world's largest mall and find what you
need for everyone on your list without worrying about
parking, crowds or feeding your hungry children. Online
shopping offers a bigger selection and more merchants
competing for your business -- which means you are more
likely to find what you want, at a price you are willing
to pay, without having to drive all over town. Experts
say that Internet-based sales for the holiday season will
be $21 billion, up
19 percent from last year with 67 percent of consumers
planning to buy gifts online this year. With a few necessary
tools and shopping strategies culled from the experts,
saving time and money is a sure thing. Here are some tips
and tricks for new online shoppers, and some reminders
for experts that have done this before:
-- Make sure to check the bottom
line price of the purchase beyond just the product, including
shipping and handling and tax costs when you are comparison
shopping;
-- Find coupons and rebates that are redeemable online,
whether you receive them via email or find them on manufacturer
or discount sites;
-- Register for merchant emails so you receive insider
prices and email alerts along with special free shipping
offers, before the rest of the shoppers;
-- Read online peer and professional reviews of products
you are considering purchasing;
-- Pay attention to merchant and e-tailer ratings to make
sure you are buying from a trusted and reputable source;
-- Use price comparison services to quickly find the perfect
gift. Many sites, such as PriceGrabber.com, factor in
the shipping, tax and merchant rebates or coupons directly
on their site, as well as merchant and product reviews,
so you find not only the best deal but you find it fast;
-- How do you pick a gift for someone who has everything?
Take notice of popular item categories offered on major
retail websites for ideas or search by a topic if you
know what their interests and hobbies are;
-- Some merchants will send e-announcements to let gift
recipients know that something is on the way -- great
when the item you want is back ordered or you are shopping
at the very last minute;
-- Check a merchant's return policies as often times buying
online and returning to the store may be the most convenient
option;
-- Understand shipping cutoff dates and shop early to
ensure on-time deliveries;
-- Keep all Web receipts and order confirmations so you
can track your purchases -- often right from the site
or email, a great time saver.
"Online shopping should
be a guaranteed way to save time and money, particularly
during the holidays, if approached in a smart fashion.
Tactics, tools and savvy strategies like these enable
shoppers to effectively surf the Web and find the perfect
gift for everyone on their list," said Lauren Freedman,
president of the e-tailing group and author of, It's Just
Shopping. "Another popular idea for shoppers this
season who are at a loss for finding the perfect gift
is a gift card. Research shows that the number of people
who plan to purchase a gift card this season is 45 percent,
up four percent from last year," said Rob Smahl,
Vice President of Marketing for PriceGrabber.com. "A
gift card from PriceGrabber.com comes customized with
the recipient's name and can be used at any of PriceGrabber's
several thousand merchants -- better than any mall on
the planet."
Independent Workers
Are Changing the Employer/Employee Relationship
By G.A. “Andy”
Marken, President, Marken Communications Inc.
The factory dominated the 19th Century. Everything evolved
around it. People spent their lives working for the man.
Today less than 15% of the U.S. employees work in production
or manufacturing. The 20th Century was dominated by the
office. According to the department of labor by the end
of last year at least 44% of the employees were gathering,
processing, retrieving and analyzing information...in
the office.
Lou Gerstner, president of
IBM, and many other business leaders have already dubbed
the first half of 21st Century the Internet and knowledge
era. They explain that the Internet is about competition,
growth and reaching out to customers and that real time
access to information is the key business differentiator.
We are more inclined to agree
with Will Hutton, chief executive of Britain’s The
Industrial Society. Hutton states that while we don’t
yet fully understand the rules and dynamics of the new
era we do know it is turning the workplace inside out.
He asserts we are entering a network economy that is driven
by information and communications technologies and that
the network will increasingly be made up of independent
workers who will change the employer/employee relationship.
The Empowered Worker
Already more than 30 million U.S. workers are free agent
contract workers. Over the next few years Charles Handy,
author of The Age of Unreason, estimates that less than
½ of the industrial world’s workforce will
hold conventional full-time jobs in companies. Every year,
more and more people will be self-employed and full-time
insiders will be the minority.
In the 19th Century and first
half of the 20th Century there was a real or implied promise
that the corporation would provide employees with job
security and career progression in return for loyalty
and commitment. But in today’s competitive environment
firms have to restructure, outsource, downsize, subcontract
and form new alliances to survive. To maintain their competitive
edge companies are traveling lighter, covering ground
more quickly. Management has quickly found that the organization
has to constantly accelerate or die. The company that
is lean, agile and quick to respond has the edge.
Competition, technology, recession
and increased shareholder value are constantly driving
the firms to the point where no one believes the old corporate
commitment and employee loyalty and commitment is rapidly
disappearing.
Given this environment it is
little wonder that the new free agent worker is becoming
the mainstay of the workforce and is doing what is important
for his or her career. Far from being “me”
oriented, this rapidly growing workforce understands that
the best way to enhance their intellectual, social and
professional capital is to constantly network and constantly
move forward. Just as the rapidly changing world deals
ruthlessly with organizations that don’t change,
the new breed of contract employee is quickly learning
that the blur of ambiguity is good for their career.
Dealing With the Legacy
They are exploiting the flexibility, capacity and capability
of the Internet to allow them to work in totally different
ways with the “legacy” parts of the economy.
Because of this firms are going
to great lengths to recruit, pay and keep employees happy.
A new class of job brokers and talent scout has emerged
with employee search firms growing twice as fast as the
U.S. economy. Check any issue of the business or trade
publications you receive. There will always be two to
three articles on recruiting and job enhancement.
Look at the on-line and print
classifieds. Listen to what companies and search firms
are offering. The attention is on a stimulating work environment,
relaxed dress codes, attention to work/life issues and
a fun place to work. Firms that fall short in these areas
know they will lose the best people…the people they
need to survive and grow.
The empowered independent worker
knows the ground rules have changed in the employer/employee
relationship. They have quickly learned how easy it is
to network in much the same fashion as the trade guilds
of the 18th Century.
Forget unions. The new contract
worker has a better infrastructure – the Internet
network. A growing number of portals are available for
them to share job and company work experiences information,
buy goods and services and control their own growth and
destiny.
The global communication technology
is radically changing the speed, direction and amount
of information flow even as it alters work rolls across
all organizations. The new free agent worker is creating
role clarity for himself and herself. They figure out
the top priorities and point themselves in that direction.
They don’t pull back. They don’t wait for
someone to give them details or marching orders. They
give themselves permission to attach to the job. They
feel their way along to the future. They are willing to
“wing it.” They have reduced improvising to
an art form. They accept the fact that work life is fuzzy
around the edges.
They are confident that organizations
aren’t going to look out for people’s careers
as they did in the past. Because of this, it’s increasingly
important to behave like you’re in business for
yourself…you are. Today’s “employees”
have to build emotional muscle. As Lily Tomlin once said,
“we’re all in this alone.”
Practice Kaizen
Given the working world shift people have to continuously
practice Kaizen – the relentless quest for a better
way, higher quality craftsmanship, daily pursuit of perfection.
Kaizen keeps you reaching, stretching to outdo yesterday.
These incremental changes yield a valuable competitive
advantage. You need to assume personal responsibility
for upgrading your performance. Your productivity, response
time, quality, cost control and customer serv |
