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Guns for hire
Brian Corrigan
A new breed of business executives is filling the void when organisations find themselves without a suitable technology leader; Brian Corrigan asks whether their emergence is proof that many companies are not doing enough to bring the next generation through.
Hospital of the future
Paul Smith
Forget clipboard charts, groaning files and moaning patients; Paul Smith reports on a state-of-the-art Sydney e-hospital that's showing the way as a digital leader that offers facts, amusement and care at the touch of a screen.
After the drought
Rachael Bolton
Few understand water's importance more than those who have known severe shortages; Rachael Bolton finds smart technology protecting this scarce resource in south-east Queensland.
Make the most of conflict
Amy Gallo
Workplace disagreements - and even heated arguments - are inevitable in a team, but learning how to handle such fights is a crucial leadership skill.
Time for a change
Linda Price
With many CIOs looking for new work opportunities as economic conditions improve, Linda Price provides a checklist of questions to improve your interview skills.
Benefits under the hood
Enterprise architecture is a behind-the-scenes creator of value rather than a value in itself and that's how it should be sold to businesses, Rob Mackinnon writes.
Transfer of power
Mark Jones
Cloud computing is being pitched as the fifth utility but it doesn't solve looming problems associated with the insatiable appetite for electricity, Mark Jones writes.
A change in the mix
Kevin Noonan
Services are the beating heart of the IT industry but a government policy shake-up and cloud computing could leave it barely recognisable, Kevin Noonan writes.
Crowd control
Damian Ward
The internet provides innovative ways of accessing talent that are attractively flexible and cost effective, but it is easy to get burned, Damian Ward warns.
Insider
Brian Corrigan
Doing business with: Tom Stianos | MISchief | Strategic update | Movers & shakers
Off the shelf
Derek Parker
Senseless Panic: How Washington Failed America | Get Rich with Twitter | Big Business, Big Responsibilities | The Untrained Environmentalist
Travel companions
John Davidson
John Davidson gets hip to the trip with a large but lovely GPS device, a slim and sleek laptop and an oh-so-smooth BlackBerry
Labor breaks $448m tech promise, says industry
Brian Corrigan
The ICT industry has accused the Labor government of breaking a $447.5 million promise to reinvest savings generated through an aggressive cost-cutting exercise into new computer projects.
Canberra aims to set green example
Brian Corrigan
The federal government will improve the energy efficiency of its information and communications technology equipment by 20 per cent in the next five years, following the release of a sustainability plan.
Cloud poses threat to the old guard
Brian Corrigan
The business models of traditional software vendors will come under serious threat over the next few years as organisations increasingly adopt cloud-based computing.
NBN Co overcomes growing pains
Brian Corrigan
Scaling IT resources to match growth is critical for any organisation but few have been faced with the challenges and opportunities that confronted the management team at NBN Co.
Westpac pumps $200m into web systems overhaul
Julian Bajkowski
Westpac Banking Corporation has raised the stakes in the technology race between retail institutions, and will spend about $200 million on a new internet banking platform to centralise online operations.
Cooper intensifies skills war
Brian Corrigan
Concerns are mounting the modernisation of old and creaky business systems in the superannuation industry required to make Cooper review changes could cost $1 billion and be scuppered by a lack of skills.
Older workers ignored
Paul Smith
Recruiters say businesses need to be less picky when hiring staff, after the Australian Computer Society released a report slamming ageism in the local technology market.
DIY check-in for Qantas frequent flyers
Julian Bajkowski
Qantas Airways is betting that a radical technology overhaul of its airport check-in and baggage handling facilities will cut passenger queuing times by at least half.
Airlines keep mobile services grounded
Paul Smith
A combination of potentially prohibitive expense and hugely complex licensing agreements has led Australian airlines to back away from offering in-flight mobile devices, after the communications watchdog cleared away the regulatory roadblocks.
Defence mounts consolidation initiative
Rachael Bolton
The Department of Defence says $180 million in technology contracts awarded in July set a new tone for its future information technology procurement habits.
MIS - August 2010
Articles in the 2010 August issue....
Systems shocker
By Paul Smith
The litany of errors that threw Queensland Health's payroll into chaos could become a teaching module for how not to carry out a major technology project, but we've been here before
Growing pains
By Brian Corrigan
CIOs who sidelined IT projects and cut headcounts in the downturn are scrambling to find the resources and talent they need for the recovery.
Digital dividends
By Julian Bajkowski
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has made some serious progress in delivering a national broadband network but his proposals for an internet filter have stalled
Blurring boundaries
By Rachael Bolton
Technology is fast eroding the traditional divisions between our work and personal lives, which should be a benefit for both employer and employee if managed correctly.
Buyer beware
By Jordan Robertson
Tech industry giants claim that buying smaller rivals is good for their customers but in reality these acquisitions rarely if ever work out that way
The science of hiring
By Amy Gallo
Employing the wrong candidate for a job has unwanted consequences for both parties but can usually be avoided with some careful planning
Nightmare scenarios
By Brian Corrigan
There are few things we like to read about more than a good old fashioned horror story and it is hard to remember a better one in recent times than the storm surrounding Queensland Health's botched attempt at replacing its payroll system.
Why history matters
By Mark Jones
Conversations with tech industry elders show that understanding the past is important if we are to be successful in the future
Build your case
By Linda Price
Growth may be back on the agenda after two challenging years but CIOs will still find it difficult to get projects approved without a solid business plan.
A culture of creativity
By Rob Mackinnon
Most executives will tell you they admire innovative companies and yet many organisations do so much to stifle it
Don't drop the project ball
By Steve Hodgkinson
To avoid costly ICT failures, senior players should have to justify their game plan on a regular basis and risk being sent off or having the project called off completely.
Make your mark
By Damian Ward
If your business has registered to trade overseas it may be a case of use it or lose it, but there is some flexibility around what constitutes use.
Insider
Doing business with: David Webster | MISchief | Strategic update | Movers and shakers
Off the shelf
By derek parker
Management Strategies for the Cloud Revolution | How to cool the planet | Samsung Electronics
Gadgets: on the move
BY John Davidson
It's a connected world
MIS July issue 2010
MIS Australia July issue 2010...
People power
Ariana Green
Building and maintaining a professional network is vital to your career progression because you can never know when one of those contacts will be able to help you out
Black, white and Green
Brian Corrigan
It is no surprise that the leaders of our two largest political parties are rarely in agreement but, Brian Corrigan writes, this could have major implications for our digital future come polling time
New tricks for old dogs
Kevin Noonan
The past decade has not being kind to the concept of benefits realisation but there are signs that it is making a comeback.
Loading the bases
Paul Smith
A legal case in Britain could have positive ramifications for CIOs negotiating contracts but sharp negotiation and process management skills are essential.
Taking stock
Julian Bajkowski
Australian Securities Exchange chairman David Gonski may not spring to mind as a champion of the local technology sector but he wants the Lucky Country to sit up straight and start doing some serious thinking about its future.
Work to be done
Mark Jones
Tech vendors call it collaboration but it can be argued that this is all in a typical day's work
Talk the talk
Linda Price
Despite differing CIO opinions of Web 2.0 and working collaboratively, social networking will certainly have a massive impact on businesses.
The human aspects of change
Rob Mackinnon
Introducing new technology is difficult on many levels
Old data, new tricks
Rachael Bolton
Work is under way to find different ways of using the vast amounts of information gathered every day but the rules of engagement have yet to be finalised
Buyer beware of titles
Damian Ward
Although your company has taken delivery of new equipment and put it to good use, ownership may be reliant on you finalising payment.
Evil or envy
Brad Stone
Google has long positioned itself as a neutral force on the internet but its growing influence and a couple of high-profile errors are bringing ever closer scrutiny from regulators
Off the shelf
Derek Parker
Book of the month: The Authenticity Hoax - How We Get Lost Finding Ourselves | Salts and Suits | Mr Lean Buys and Transforms a Manufacturing Company | Leadership Secrets of Hillary Clinton
Gadgets: Phone a friend
John Davidson
Rediscover the telephone as a classic style statement that also meets today's needs, John Davidson suggests
Harvey Norman launches Project Reload
Brian Corrigan
Harvey Norman has finally kicked off an information technology transformation program to replace all of its core business systems.
Defence sets sights on Apple
Australia's military may soon be unable to sustain long lead times.
Cloud can obscure legal dangers
Rachel Bolton
Complacency over the perils of offshore data storage may have led Australian companies to make potentially dangerous decisions.
Energy Australia secures $100m smart grid deal
Brian Corrigan
Electricity distributor Energy Australia will run a three-year smart grid trial.
Peer banks to benefit from CBA's shared details
Julian Bajkowski
Commonwealth Bank of Australia has turned up the heat on technology suppliers.
Suncorp IT underpins $235m savings
Paul Smith
The extensive technology program required to generate savings for Suncorp Metway's insurance business is expected to be complete by next June.
Australia Post backed away from national ID card
Julian Bajkowski
Australia Post has confirmed that it evaluated the idea of issuing Australians with a voluntary smartcard.
Human Services to combine IT resources
Brian Corrigan
Consumers will be able to access services provided by Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency through a single phone number and website.
Heavyweights welcome $500m in reallocated spending
Brian Corrigan
Companies are breathing a sigh of relief after the federal government issued a long shopping list of projects to be funded from savings generated by an IT spending review.