Remember the Jules Vern classic, Around the World in Eighty Days? Now, get ready for "around the global economy in one day" ... any random day. That's the structure through which author and journalist Daniel Altman has woven a series of insightful and thought-provoking snapshots of the global economy in his new book, Connected: 24 Hours in the Global Economy.

Reading Altman's book will put to rest any doubts you've ever had that the sovereign destiny of nations is increasingly like an incredibly complex web comprising wealth, politics, and culture. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation with this respected global writer that may leave you with a much better appreciation for the old phrase, "it's a small world," and its significant implications.

Bio

Daniel Altman is an American-born author, journalist, and  economist. He's the author of a new book, Connected: 24 Hours in the Global  Economy, and is also the author of Neoconomy: George Bush’s  Revolutionary Gamble With America’s Future.

Altman began his career as an academic economist with a doctorate from Harvard University. His first job outside academia was as the London-based economics correspondent for The Economist. Later, he became one of the  youngest-ever members of the editorial board of The New York Times. He  currently writes regular columns on globalization and economic policy for  The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times. In  between, he was an economic adviser to the British government.

For the past year, Altman has been writing a weekday blog for the Herald  Tribune called "Managing Globalization." He lives in Buenos Aires, Hong  Kong, and New York.

Resources

Daniel Altman's Web  Site

Managing  Globalization: Atlman's International Herald Tribune column

Connected:  24 Hours in the Global Economy

Production Credits

Dana Farver, Executive Producer, Communities  Editor-in-Chief
Tom Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host

During the past decade, business intelligence and performance management have moved from being applications used by specific departments to being vehicles for strategic decision-making across the enterprise. Don Campbell, vice president, platform strategy and technology at Cognos, says that despite the popularity of business intelligence applications, many global organizations are still just getting their feet wet with it. Campbell says that this could all change as business intelligence companies, such as Cognos, enable organizations to standardize on one business intelligence and performance management platform, making data readily available to everyone via a variety of sources, from a Web portal to a PDA.

During this podcast, Campbell will discuss the challenge of delivering the value of business intelligence to everyone in an organization, not just knowledge workers and executives. He'll also discuss how business intelligence can help CIOs justify IT as an investment, about the importance of finding the right metrics to measure performance, and more.

Bio

Don Campbell is vice president, platform strategy and technology, at Cognos, where he oversees leading-edge applications that enhance the reach of business intelligence and performance management in an organization. He has more 19 years of high-tech experience, 15 of which have been with Cognos. He has held various roles from research to software development to management, and conceptualized Cognos's award-winning data visualization business intelligence product, CognosVisualizer. In addition, he has authored several published articles and a weekly technology column. Mr. Campbell holds a Bachelor of Computer Science degree from Carleton University, in Ottawa, Canada.

Resources

The  International Business Awards: Don Campbell

Q&A with  Cognos VP Don Campbell

Cognos  the latest to proclaim "one BI platform"

Cognos expands  reach of Go! Search

Production Credits

Elizabeth Ferrarini, Producer
Dana  Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom  Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host

If you've ever received a courtesy call from DirecTV or have subscribed to an  AARP service over the telephone, then you've probably spoken with one of the 14,000 customer care representatives from PRC  LLC, formerly called Precision Response Corp.

With annual revenues of about a half-billion dollars, PRC is the country's third largest contact center outsourcer, and it manages customer relationships for some of the world's leading corporations. PRC's key goal is to deliver the value that customers –- B-to-B or B-to-C -- expect. And, IT provides the crucial underpinning for driving the contact center services. In this podcast, CIO and CTO Umesh Jain talks about how a large enterprise can gain a deeper understanding of its customers' behavior by harnessing the contact center's vast amounts of customer and market data.

Bio

Umesh Jain is the chief information officer and senior vice president of strategic initiatives (CTO) at PRC LLC, the third largest contact center outsourcer in the U.S. He was the founder and president of Merging Elements, a technology solutions company to help Fortune 1000 organizations become more market driven. Jain holds a B.Eng. in Computer Systems and Electronics from King’s College London and an M.B.A. from University of Miami.

Diamond  Castle Buys PRC

PRC Web site

Production Credits

Elizabeth Ferrarini, Producer
Dana  Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom  Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host

In managing today's ever-more-complex data environment, the common complaint  is about data silos that are out of control.

Enter Master Data Management (MDM), a way to integrate all those disparate  silos of data without having to replatform your system. MDM could help your enterprise with issues that arise from compliance requirements, M&A support, and CRM support. It might also be a great way to move incrementally toward a service-oriented architecture.

Jill Dyché and Evan Levy are the authors of the new book, Customer  Data Integration: Reaching a Single Version of the Truth; they're also  consultants with Baseline  Consulting, which specializes in MDM. In this interview, they'll talk about how MDM can be a segue for SOA, when to know if an MDM initiative makes sense for your business, some of the do's and don'ts you should know about implementing such an initiative, and more.

Bios

Evan Levy is a partner and co-founder of Baseline Consulting, a professional services firm concentrating on enterprise data issues. He is an acknowledged expert in the field of data integration and the technology architectures that support it. In addition to his executive management responsibilities at Baseline, he regularly oversees high-profile systems integration projects for key clients such as Charles Schwab, Verizon, State of Michigan, and CheckFree. He also advises software vendors—including Oracle, IBM, and BEA Systems—in the areas of product planning, and continues to counsel the executive and investment communities in the use of applying advanced technologies to key business initiatives. Evan is co-author of the book, Customer Data Integration: Reaching a Single Version of the Truth.

Jill Dyché is an internationally recognized author, speaker, and business consultant. She is partner and co-founder of Baseline Consulting, a professional services firm concentrating on enterprise data issues. Prior to co-founding Baseline, Jill has worked for technology vendors including Teradata, and has been an independent consultant to companies such as Daimler, Royal Assurance, and the French national railroad. At Baseline, she is responsible for key client strategies and industry analysis in the areas of CRM, business intelligence, and data governance. She Executives from companies including Charles Schwab, Verizon, American Express, and The Gap have relied on Jill for advice on data management planning and execution. Jill’s latest book is Customer Data Integration: Reaching a Single Version of the Truth, co-authored with Evan Levy.

Resources

ROI for Customer  Data Integration

Baseline  Consulting

Customer  Data Integration: Reaching a Single Version of the Truth

Production Credits

Dana Farver, Executive Producer, Communities  Editor-in-Chief
Tom Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host

What do Procter & Gamble, Austin Energy, and the Commonwealth of Virginia have in common? They've reaped the benefits of ITIL -- an IT service support/service delivery framework based on the IT Infrastructure Library.

Selecting specific ITIL initiatives, such as the service desk or change management, has become a norm with organizations using ITIL Version 1 or Version 2. Few companies, however, have yet to embrace all of the ITIL initiatives, especially for service delivery, such as financial management. But that could all change with the lifecycle approach to IT service management built into ITIL Version 3, which provides a beginning and end to the entire service management process.

Derek Lonsdale, an ITIL program manager at PA Consulting, says, "ITIL's lifecycle approach will make it easier for CIOs to understand the strategic benefits of using ITIL." In this podcast, Lonsdale provides a look at where organizations are with ITIL versions 1 and 2, what enhancements have been made to ITIL 3, and what are some of PA Consulting's "lessons learned" about carrying out ITIL successfully.

Bio

Derek Lonsdale is an IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)  program manager for PA Consulting, a London-based independent IT consulting firm. He has contributed to the design and deployment of ITIL processes for numerous ITIL programs, including three global initiatives for a global pharmaceutical firm, a global financial service firm, and a major energy company. During his fifteen years as an IT professional, Lonsdale has managed many business critical IT improvement projects, ranging from IT service management transformations to IT process re-engineering. He  specializes in IT best practices, IT change, project management, and outsourcing for PA Consulting's United States practice.

Resources

Ten Tips for  Successfully Implementing ITIL

The IT  Portal -- A Platform for Service Management

Taking the High Road:  Local Government Restructuring and the Quest for Quality

Production Credits

Elizabeth Ferrarini, Producer
Dana  Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom  Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host

Marcus Sachs can't believe the Internet's still running. What started as the Arpanet in 1969 -- a closely-held government and academic network -- was never intended for the heavy commercial use it's being subject to today.

"There are weaknesses in the infrastructure, the software and the way the Internet is built," he says. "But instead of the Internet collapsing, we're seeing a fertile playground for cyber-lawlessness."

One of the missions of the DHS is to find, isolate, and solve infrastructure problems before they become a matter of national security, he continues. And now that the cyber-information infrastructure has become a critical part of big business, CIOs need to follow suit.

"CIOs need to firmly understand the risks to their intellectual property and sensitive data. Then they need to drill down, isolate their critical systems, put people in charge of those systems, educate users, and update policies," says Sachs.

Meet Sachs and hear what he has to say about disturbing trends in online crime, what research is being funded by the DHS to combat these problems, and what enterprise organizations must do to protect their data and their users while at the same time bolstering our critical national infrastructure.

Bio

Marcus Sachs directs the Washington operations of the Cyber Security Research and Development Center. Supported by SRI International's Computer Science Laboratory under a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Center is the primary vehicle through which the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) Cyber Security R&D programs are executed. Mr. Sachs' professional experience includes a 20-year military career in the United States Army followed by two years of federal civilian service at the White House and the Department of Homeland Security.

Resources

Marcus Sachs on  Securing the Homeland

PING  with Marcus Sachs

Three Minutes  with Marcus Sachs

Production Credits

Deborah Radcliff, Producer
Dana Farver,  Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom Parish,  Audio Producer, Show Host
Kimberly Stone, Web Development  Manager
Scott Ebner, Web Developer

With annual revenues of $14 billion and 78,000 employees, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) must continually improve processes, reduce costs, and cut waste to remain competitive in the global information technology services arena. In 1998, CSC, on the advice of clients such as Raytheon and DuPont, started a grassroots Six Sigma program, a process improvement methodology that helps organizations cut costs while improving quality, customer satisfaction, and cycle times. Today, Six Sigma, along with Lean and other best quality practices, permeates the entire CSC organization.

Since 2003, Robert Bryant has been vice president of Six Sigma and Quality Assurance for CSC's Global Infrastructure Services Group. He has led more than 200 Lean/Six Sigma projects at CSC, reducing internal and client costs by more than $100 million in both hard and soft savings. According to Bryant, a Six Sigma Black Belt can save an organization about $230,000 a project. He says, "Lean/Six Sigma tools and concepts have sparked performance improvements in practically every division of our company, while helping us deliver substantial cost savings to CSC clients across industry lines."

Bryant's job includes ensuring accounts achieve quality certification, such as ISO and Malcolm Baldridge, overseeing quality certification programs for employees, improving customer satisfaction, and measuring performance. The results of the programs he leads at CSC are evident everywhere in the company. For example, CSC helped a U.S. government agency increase customer satisfaction and save $2.8 million through a continuous service improvement program.

To help clients integrate and carry out both Lean and Six Sigma, Bryant has developed a robust Lean/Six Sigma program, which trains, develops, and deploys certified experts across the globe. The company has 150 Six Sigma Blackbelts and 1,500 Six Sigma Green Belts.

On the other hand, Bryant will be the first to admit that many IT organizations, such as CSC, have begun from the ground to convince senior management to get on board with Six Sigma. In fact, Bryant recently presented "Implementing Six Sigma in IT from the Ground UP" at one of the few Six Sigma conferences devoted to IT.

Bryant has devoted a good part of his career to the arduous task of becoming an expert on more than 20 other areas of quality expertise, along with becoming a Six Sigma Master Blackbelt. However, the philosophy of quality improvement -- namely, delivering good results -- also permeates other aspects of Bryant's life. Despite a several physical disability, he persevered as he trekked mile after mile on a row cycle across the U.S. This feat earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and national media attention. Bryant is also a licensed minister who has written three inspirational books. Despite his busy professional schedule, he finds time to do motivational speaking throughout the year.

Now, join Robert Bryant as he talks about what role Six Sigma plays at CSC, why you should become certified in Six Sigma, why medium size companies are slow to adopt Six Sigma for IT, how to select process improvement tools, and just how to survive the daily ups and downs in life.

Bio

Robert Bryant is vice president of quality, process improvement and the Six Sigma Master Blackbelt for Computer Sciences Corporation. He has lead than 200 Six Sigma projects at CSC. His job includes ensuring accounts achieve quality certification, such as ISO and Malcolm Baldridge, improving customer satisfaction, and measuring performance. In addition to Six Sigma, Bryant 20 other areas of quality expertise include the Capacity Maturity Model Integrated Auditor, Value Stream Mapping, LEAN, Process Mapping, Quality Functional Deployment, Root Cause/Risk Analysis, and Analysis of Variation. Besides being involved in technology, he is also a licensed minister and has written three inspirational books. A physically disability did not keep Bryant from completing a 3,200-mile trek across America on a row cycle. This endeavor earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and nationwide press coverage. Three days after this event, the flag flew over  the Capital in Washington in his honor.

Resources

CSC's Lean/Six  Sigma Program Delivers Better Processes, Less Waste

Production Credits

Elizabeth Ferrarini, Producer
Dana  Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom  Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host
Kimberly Stone,  Web Development Manager
Scott Ebner, Web Developer

K. Ananth Krishnan thrives on driving innovation at Tata Consultancy Services, where he serves as CTO. This $4 billion global IT services giant has 89,000 IT professionals in 47 countries and is growing at 35 percent per year.

As a member of TCS's think tank since 1999, Krishnan has relied heavily on the work of Dr. Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor and author of The Innovator's Dilemma and The Innovator's  Solution.

In May 2007, Krishnan received an InfoWorld Top 25 CTO award for two innovative IT initiatives: Ultimatix, an intranet and transaction platform which digitized and integrated all of the company's end-to-end information, ranging from human resources to sales; and Infinity, a multiprotocol label-switching backbone to tie together all of the company's Internet-based communications, such as telephony and network access, and video collaboration applications.

By expanding on Infinity, Krishnan developed his current project, Co-Innovation Network (COIN), a collaborative platform uniting all of TCS's geographically dispersed stakeholders, including employees, customers, venture capital firms, research labs, and academic institutions. Krishnan and his team are working on designing TCS's next-generation data center.

Bio

In 1988, K. Ananth Krishnan joined Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) , part of  the Tata Group, one of India's large IT services firms with 89,000 employees in 47 countries and  $4.3 billion in annual revenues. Krishnan is TCS's chief technology officer and has been recognized by InfoWorld magazine as one of the top CTOs in the world. Since 1999, he has been a member of TCS corporate think tank where he helped to conceptualize several new initiatives. He is also a principal architect and lead consultant in the architecture and technology consulting practice.

Resources

2007  InfoWorld CTO 25: K. Ananth Krishnan, CTO, Tata Consultancy  Services

Ask  a Premier 100 IT Leader: K. Ananth Krishnan

Tata Consultancy  Services

Production Credits

Elizabeth Ferrarini, Producer
Dana  Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom  Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host