BF_IT FINANCE LINK_ Penton Media June 18, 2009 If you want to view this on the web go to: http://enews.penton.com/enews/businessfinance/v/189 ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISEMENT Prepare for the upturn: Recommended reading from Business Finance There's been a broad-based breakdown in traditional budgeting and forecasting -- so it's time to rethink, retool, and tighten your grasp on a better future. Business Finance recommends these valuable resources from IBM designed to help you adapt and manage inside today's volatile environment. http://businessfinancemag.com/content/recommended-reading-bf-and-ibm-0609 ---------------------------------------- TODAY'S ALERTS --Desktop Virtualization Cuts Costs Desktop virtualization, also referred to as virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), can save companies money by eliminating the need to maintain a fully configured PC for each employee and reducing the support burden. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/06/10/stop-cursing-your-pc/ --Organizing IT -- Form Follows Function How should IT be organized? There's no one right way to organize, according to IT expert Richard Ross, however there are some basic guidelines to follow when trying to get your organization on track. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/05/28/organizing-it-form-follows-function/ --Companies Protect Technology Spending Companies are opting to maintain rather than cut technology and R&D spending, according to AMEX's second annual Global Business & Spending Monitor survey. The reason, says Wendy Prewitt, VP of global business development at AMEX, is that technology allows companies to reduce costs elsewhere, generate more revenue, and attract customers. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/06/02/why-you-want-to-protect-technology-spending/ --Five Steps to Take to Avoid Outsourcing IT Before you consider outsourcing, which can demoralize and disrupt your organization and still not produce the results or savings you want, take these five steps. By doing so, you can reduce your overall IT spend, lower the cost of owning and operating your IT infrastructure, and increase the speed and responsiveness of your IT group and, in turn, your business. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/05/22/five-ways-to-avoid-outsourcing-it/ --Are You Ready for Unified Communications? The dream of unified communications, which would allow the seamless flow of voice, data, video, and applications across different networks, protocols, vendors, and devices as if they were all one, is becoming a reality. Telecom vendors, carriers, and mobile providers are in on the action and major players like Cisco, IBM, and Microsoft are staking their turf. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/05/26/are-you-ready-for-unified-communications/ --CPM in the Clouds This spring has seen corporate performance management (CPM) move squarely into the cloud. According to an April Gartner report, the market for CPM continues to grow, primarily because spreadsheets for CPM are being replaced with products that have built-in analytics. One of the fastest growing areas is SaaS CPM solutions, which allow fast implementations with low investment and with less of a need for IT infrastructure. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/06/15/cpm-in-the-clouds/ --How Many IT Vendors Does an Organization Need? How many IT vendors does your organization really need? The more IT vendors an organization uses, the greater the overall cost, yet one vendor won't meet all of the needs of most businesses. To view the full article go to: http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/06/05/how-many-it-vendors-are-too-many/ --BPM Summit Presentation: Commoditized Technology and Commoditized Results The 6th Annual BPM Summit brought together some of the business world's foremost practitioners to explore the transformational role of finance in the enterprise. If you missed the live event, you can still enjoy access to the audio and slide shows from the keynote presentations at our on-demand archive. To view the full article go to: http://bpmmag.net/summit/2008/ --With XBRL Comes Liquidity Using eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) could enhance the liquidity and alleviate some of the stress and uncertainty plaguing today's markets. Read Ventana Research's "Tag Fannie and Freddie with XBRL" in the BPM Resource Center. To view the full article go to: http://resources.bpmmag.net/index.html?action=viewSponsors&sponsorID=11&userID=1363 --Corporate Tax Survey: Chance to Win a $100 Gift Card Has the downturn helped or hampered tax executives' quest for a more strategic and proactive role? What tactics and technologies are tax leaders embracing to steer through economic turmoil? Help us track the forces shaping today's tax departments by participating in this 10-minute survey. All of the information you provide will be kept strictly confidential. The results will be presented in an upcoming issue of Business Finance. If you respond by June 26, you'll be entered into a drawing for one of two $100 Visa gift cards! To view the full article go to: http://insidepenton.com/research/er/BF/bftax2009.htm ---------------------------------------- Sponsor: Business Finance and IBM http://businessfinancemag.com/content/recommended-reading-bf-and-ibm-0609 ---------------------------------------- Webcasts ---------------------------------------- Creating a Competitive Edge with Planning and Analysis: Leveraging SAP BusinessObjects Planning and Consolidation http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=151155&s=1&k=23901B5D394A1348DD11E3B1ACF70FDD&partnerref=newsletter The "Forecasting Close" -- The Relentless Pursuit of Understanding What the Future Brings http://w.on24.com/r.htm?e=150931&s=1&k=743C7162911DBFF6BEE7A0BA101021DD&partnerref=newsletter ---------------------------------------- Video ---------------------------------------- Unlocking M&A's Pricing Potential Pricing improvement is not always front of-mind with deal-makers. Patricio Simpson, Senior Manager, Deloitte Consulting LLP offers some pointers when it comes to unlocking a transaction's true potential. http://bigfatfinanceblog.com/2009/06/02/unlocking-mas-pricing-potential/ ---------------------------------------- In this Issue ---------------------------------------- Business Finance magazine now FREE to qualified subscribers. Subscribe now! 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