disparate systems

Social responsibility: a CIO function

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

According to a survey by market research firm AMR Research, CIOs aren't taking an active enough role in their companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Often, the data and information needed to prioritize CSR investments and measure its impact are spread across organizations in disparate systems and databases. It's the CIO's responsibility to take ownership of this problem. For example, a successful CSR initiative would include information accessed from a company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) system--something CIOs should recognize and incorporate. But as companies realize the business benefits, CSR is becoming a front-of-mind issue for many organizations. That should change the way that CIOs view CSR over time.

For more about the importance of CSR:
- read the article at ZDNet

Master Data Management to the rescue

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Although it's nice to think that your organization might eventually be able to standardize on one vendor's platform, it's probably not going to happen any time soon. To handle an array of disparate systems, more companies are turning to Master Data Management (MDM), which helps maintain a consistent view of an organization's core business entities that exist across a range of systems. But before turning to MDM, make sure you know all of your company's important master data domains, the business value of MDM for your organization, whether you'll be starting the MDM process with operational or analytical systems, and, most importantly, whether the goal of migrating to a single platform is even necessary.

To learn more about Master Data Management:
- read the article at CRMBuyer

Defining the role of the CIO

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:01:39 -0500

Unlike other C-level officials, the role of the CIO is loosely defined and can take different forms in different organizations. Some CIOs are charged with integrating disparate systems, for example, and some aren't. Some are charged with leading innovation, while others must take on the burden of identity management. Still others focus on privacy, managing the technical infrastructures for a global enterprise, security, cutting-edge technologies or any combination of the above. To do the job well, CIOs must understand that the role is a multidimensional one, and one that is subject to change over time.

Learn more about the morphing role of the CIO and what it takes:
- read the blog at Global Services
- read the EDS white paper Eight Roles of the Multidimensional CIO

Feds push e-healthcare with new mandate

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 20:01:39 -0400

President Bush is hungry to get e-healthcare initiatives up and running on the federal government level and he just pushed forward on another mandate, which requires any agency handling healthcare or medical programs to deploy inter-operable, standards-based tech systems such as electronic medical records. As some pundits point out though, it's not going to happen overnight, if it even happens at all; Most doctors still aren't convinced that tech systems will be of benefit to them and getting so many disparate systems to work together will prove a major hurdle. It's hard not to be reminded of past federal tech efforts, which indicated that mandates don't always fulfill promises.

For further insight on the e-healthcare effort:
-check out InformationWeek's story on the mandate

PLUS: A look at how one medical center is making e-healthcare a reality. Article