Not only are executives unschooled in making these decisions, but they also fail to learn from the bad IT investments of the past. First, kill off annual budgeting cycles. In this fast-changing sector, rigid adherence to such cycles borders on malfeasance. Bob Kaplan, a CPA and Harvard Business School professor, says annual budget cycles measure the wrong things. Business isn't an annual game, so budget cycles should be replaced by project cycles driven by opportunity.
Taxicabs plan far less.
They cruise the city, seemingly at random but in fact concentrating their efforts in areas where customers are more likely to need them. CIOs are facing organizations that want taxicablike customizability but are saddled with financial systems marred by train-track inflexibility. Perhaps then that celebrity status will be truly deserved. Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Computerworld, Inc. is prohibited.