The merits of the mobile workforce.

(From Newswire (VNU))

Computing's Value Reports are intended to help lead a necessary debate at a crucial time in the evolution of business technology. The role of CIO, the importance of IT in bringing competitive advantage and the place of innovationis all in question at the moment. This first supplement - looking at mobility - illustrates many of the key issues. The case for wanting a mobile workforce seems clear, but business discussions still concentrate too heavily on the financial return on investment (ROI) promised by individual pieces of technology.

We've talked to dozens of CIOs, FDs, analysts and business leaders who, to various degrees, believe that ROI is too blunt an instrument for any major strategy and that we need to develop new and more effective mechanisms for judging IT spending. There is a degree of consensus about the necessity of measurable, proveable value based on certain fundamental questions: 1. Does the technology align with wider business priorities? 2. Is there a clear case for buying on the grounds of business or operational efficency? 3. Do changes enable us to more closely integrate operation both internally and externally? 4. Can we domore with what we've got. 5. Is security adequate and can strategies built on security create the necessary levels of trust among potential customers? 6.Does improved staff morale and convenience make a proveable impact on ...