Gaming can make the world better

Business Capability Architecture

A nice blog post about business capability architecture:
http://blogs.forrester.com/enterprise_architecture/2010/02/business-capability-architecture-technology-strategy-for-business-impact.html

The difference between Microsoft and Apple is "SECRECY"

The author addresses an interesting idea about whether it is better to introduce your product's features to the consumers early before its launch "Microsoft's way" or to keep everything secret till the last minute "Apple's way".
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/apr/22/no-headline---22b0xwilliams-col/

Cultural differences between Google and Facebook

A very interesting link about the differences between Google and Facebook. following the links will lead to further understanding of this issue specially because Sandberg worked in both of them.
http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2011/11/09/sheryl-sandberg-on-how-facebooks-culture-differs-from-googles-shes-worked-at-both/

Google expands into e-commerce to protect its search volume

Launch of Amazon prime is hitting hard at Google's search volume. Consumers are now searching directly on Amazon to find products rather than using Google. This is also posing a threat to traditional retailers whose online offerings and shipping times could not match Prime's offerings and shipping times.

In order to deal with this challenge Google is planning to launch a service that lets consumers shop for goods on the Web and receive orders within a day for a low fee. Numerous retailers have expressed interest in signing on to the Google initiative. Google has pitched the project to retailers with whom it struck recent partnerships in other areas, a group that includes Macy's Inc., Gap Inc. and OfficeMax Inc.

Google can certainly offer the same services as Amazon does at cheaper prices because this is the subsidy side of business for Google, the real money would be from ads & search. This service would be a significant competitor to Amazon Prime in the coming days.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204012004577072323400561792.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories

Evolution of Search

Here is an interesting video on evolution of search..

More privacy concerns; are we not alone ever?

Starting on Black Friday and running through New Year's Day, two U.S. malls -- Promenade Temecula in southern California and Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Va. -- will track guests' movements by monitoring the signals from their cell phones.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/22/technology/malls_track_cell_phones_black_friday/

Thoughts on Valuation Model discussed in class last week

I thought It was interesting to hear about the valuation framework discussed in class last week being presented to the CIO and the IT organization. It is interesting when you look at it as Demand side and supply side. I usually tend to view the systems as below. Also it gets interesting when you look at the alignment of Business Strategy and IT strategy in a triangular view. Whether the company wants to be customer focused (Invest in CRMs) or Operational Efficiency focused (Invest in ERP) or be a Differentiated player (Invest in R&D enablers). What are the capabilities that the company would really want to invest in. Many firms tend to focus on everything and end up doing nothing well.

Another challenge is how to synchronize the firm's capabilities with the capabilities with the external players like the BPOs and vendors ( or even customers if we are talking of B2B scenarios).