Our spring / summer 2012 white paper collection. A transformation is underway - to Social Business, Mobile Solutions, and Cloud Computing.  Our articles and eBook abstracts consider how this fundamental "SoMoClo" transformation affects how we look at what we do, how we do it, where we do it, and with whom.  Our team suggests how this transformation will reshape businesses as well as individuals who work in those businesses, further blurring the lines of work, play, vocation, and family.  Contributions by William Newman, Cindy Jennings, Liz Garnand, and Jenny Zink.

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While some companies struggle to define “what sustainability is,” others are making it happen and quickly achieving benefits.  Principal Cindy Jennings, a seasoned executive coach and sustainability consultant, shares a step-by-step guide for small and mid-sized businesses.  Includes company examples and quick "how to get started" tips.

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The Dodd-Frank Act, expected to take effect in January 2012, includes a new requirement for manufacturers to disclose the origin of minerals used in their products. This requirement is in response to reports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where miners - including children - have been subject to violence, and funds from mineral sales have been used to support armed insurrections. In this white paper, principal Liz Garnand considers how this legislation continues pressure on manufacturers, and how to report requirements with careful software selection. (Sponsored by iPoint)

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A social media strategy is really about social networking, not social automation.  You need to understand your audience and network with them, on their level, with content at a frequency they can and will respond to.  Senior Manager Jenny Zink shares five key things you can do now to get your social media strategy off of “auto pilot” and engage

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Our fall / winter 2011 white paper collection.  With a focus on what makes a 21st Century (or so-called "C21") Company, a number of articles consider how this growth model can be leveraged through sustainable strategies and operations across the organization.  Contributions by William Newman, Dave Meyer, Jesse Jacoby, and Liz Garnand.

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If there was to be a worldwide awards event, like the Oscar’s or the Nobel Prizes, where the event recognizes and awards the world’s best for meeting the highest challenges of “complexity,” the whole Automotive Industry may be overdue to receive their gold trophy. From the global economic uncertainties in an already low profit industry, to new emission-level targets, to the huge shift in the degree of electronics in each car – these challenges may not be apparent and noticed by the public. In this white paper, principal Liz Garnand looks at these and other complexities in managing a large manufacturng supply chain and what opportunities exist to create value while demonstrating compliance leadership. (Sponsored by iPoint)

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Principal Jesse Jacoby considers how many excellent change initiatives never get off the ground, stagnating just when they should be flowering. Why, after an enthusiastic start, do so many major change efforts—a new product rollout, international expansion, a new IT system—founder and organizations return to the pre-change state? It’s because companies focus disproportionately on the structure and technical aspects of the initiative itself and little else.

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Principal Liz Garnand considers how in this talent-based economy, employee and organization information is changing continually, leading to manual processing of organization maps and structures for web portals and mobile sites.  Her research considers how Deutsche Telekom used a solution for web-based rich organizational charts and visual reports, leveraging automated data feeds from SAP HCM and other systems sources.  Learn how to maintain a competitive advantage in talent management visualization through quick organization charts and reports. (Sponsored by Ingentis).

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The Capers Jones study determined that 95% of all IT programs fail for reasons other than the underlying technology.  Managing Principal William Newman looks at the need for governance around programs across both IT and work practices such as human capital management (HCM), sustainability, and supply chain and considers how a sound Program Design and Oversight approach helps achieve bottom-line results.

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A recent Gartner survey found that companies under-invest in organizational change management. Companies allocate, on average, only 5% of the overall system implementation budget to the organizational change management effort. Principal Jesse Jacoby considers the Gartner recommendation that companies allocate an average of 15% of the program budget to organizational change management, inclusive of training — but more, if changes are significant or the corporate culture is more change-averse.

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Managing Principal William Newman and Principal Liz Garnand consider how organizations manage the rights of intellectual property (IP) and patents using antiquated methods including spreadsheets and financial calculators.  The authors suggest that by taking an enterprise approach using advanced forecasting solutions, organizations are able to predict greater profits from license activities, while mitigating risk resulting from exposure to patent infringement and other misuses. (Sponsored by Saphran)

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