Can software accurately reflect the work 'place'?

By Dr. Lee Schlenker

Although IT vendors can proudly claim that computer technology is nearly ubiquitous in business today, many managers remain quite sceptical of the ability of software solutions to help them learn about the different realities of business practice. In spite of constant technological "innovation", many clients rightfully question whether any supplier is able to deliver business applications that makes as much sense to their "end-users" as it does to their IT department. As an initial contribution to this blog on Marketing & Innovation, let me set out here some of the foundations that I will try to develop in the months to come. After having listened to hundreds of managers in diverse industries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we have the firm conviction that IT is essentially a conversation, and individual markets for IT can best be understood as stories with multiple voices.  This view may help explain why many operational managers feel that value of software depends less on its ability to incorporate global best practices than its ability to accurately reflect local visions, contexts and experience. In this era of  "anywhere, anytime, anyplace", the ambition of this blog in the coming months will be  to explore  IT frameworks  that amplify these voices to strengthen future success stories of business.

Comments

[Susan Pascal Tatum]

Lee,

I read your post with great interest. I'm curious, though. You say that "Our contribution to this blog will be dedicated to conversations and stories designed to help managers leverage technology to learn about their businesses".

How would you articulate the benefits you expect managers to achieve?

Susan