Do IT Smart
Seven Rules for Superior Information Technology Performance
Excerpt
INTRODUCTION
Over the past two decades, almost no other subject has been discussed in the manufacturing sector as passionately as the use of IT. IT enthusiasts paint the opportunities for IT in glowing colors; they wax poetic about paperless offices, fully automated plants, and virtual enterprises. The skeptics respond with sarcasm: "There are many different ways to ruin a company. Speculation is the fastest, IT the most reliable."
Quotations from survey interviewees quickly indicated how divided the camps are, from top management through to operations:
* R&D. "Our new engineering information system will offer on-line access to all patent databases. Users can learn to operate it in one day using a CAD interface," say the supporters. Using their IT, R&D has created so many variants that we can't handle them anymore," production complains.
* Sales. "The product configurator has significantly improved our customer service. It has reduced the number of special requests enormously," argues the one side. The other: "Our sales information s ... read full excerpt from: Do It Smart: Seven Rules for Superior Information Technology Performance ebook
