Thomas Hoffman

One-third of 437 business executives surveyed recently by Forrester Research Inc. said they're dissatisfied with the performance of their IT departments. But some IT managers and analysts said the results aren't surprising

Gartner Inc. analysts recently predicted that business units will gain control over a majority of discretionary spending on technology this year. If that happens, it could force IT departments to meet project milestones set by business managers before they get funding to pay for additional work.

Unionized members of the Bank of Ireland's IT department are threatening to go on strike if they aren't involved in final negotiations with Hewlett-Packard Co. on a proposed outsourcing deal.

As IT managers consider which technologies to invest in thisrn year, they should exercise caution with customer relationship management (CRM) projects butrn expect high returns on investments in business intelligence software.

Senior executives may have a need for speed when it comes to obtaining and analyzing critical financial and operational information. But CIOs who are being pushed by top brass to deliver near real-time data so companies can quickly react to changing business conditions will have to work closely with business unit leaders to drive heroic cultural and business process changes to make it all happen.

Senior executives may have a need for speed when it comes to obtaining and analyzing critical financial and operational information. But CIOs who are being pushed by top brass to deliver near real-time data so companies can quickly react to changing business conditions will have to work closely with business unit leaders to drive heroic cultural and business process changes to make it all happen.

Will business units gain control over the bulk of discretionary IT spending this year, forcing IT departments to meet milestones before they get new project funding?

Business units will gain control over most discretionary IT spending this year, as project funding is doled out to IT departments after predetermined milestones are met. That was one of seven predictions that Gartner Inc. analysts made at the company's Symposium/ITxpo conference here Monday