Re: Some year end thoughts

Having been in the "bizness" 20+ years myself, I concur with you in general.

Having spent most of that time as a contractor/consultant, I've probably
worked short & long term in close to 50 shops.  I am usually able to spot
fairly quickly those companies that treat IS as a strategic asset vs. those
that treat IS as a necessary expense.  Especially when a company is doing
well financially, and IS can't get the money to do some "necessary" things,
even as budgets are formulated.

I really don't think your analysis is a "new" problem, I think the asset vs.
expense viewpoint has been with us all along.  It really depends on the
management view.  Unfortunately (?), I have never experienced being on the
"ground floor" of a company to know exactly *how* IS is initially viewed, so
is it "set" when the company starts, or does it evolve as the company moves
forward?  Probably a combination of both, but I think where IS stands when a
company starts functioning is a big factor.  Weak IS managers may also cause
a decline in the status of IS in management's eyes.

This is a purely, mostly uneducated guess on my part, but in the 10-year
timeframe you mention, it seems to me that 10 years ago, give or take (muzzy
femory), we started seeing corporate America absolutely fixate on short-term
profits, and neglect the long-term.  In this scenario, I believe, IS will
always get the short shrift.

I think the type of industry you are in dictates the view as well.  Although
with most of my experience in manufacturing (definitely a mixed bag), I've
seen marketing and medical sectors having very strategic IS departments.
Hasn't the transportation industry really been struggling to remain/become
profitable these past several years?

Good topic.  Thanks for bringing it up.

- Dan