Month: August 2005

Wayne Brunetti, Xcel Energy’s chairman, contends that we cannot possibly get utility crews to climb poles faster. And as a utility company, we’re in the

You’ve probably received an e-mail with a blaring subject line such as “Urgent Message From eBay Accounts Management!!!!” The message in this case reads: “We

Macy’s had it easy. Back in the day, keeping tabs on Gimbel’s and A&S meant just walking down the street to do some window-shopping. But

The fourth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks is days away. There are repeated attacks in London. Egyptian resort hotels are being blown

Are you ready for your warehouse to become a privacy battlefront? If not, keep your eye on the United Kingdom. One of the largest trade

THE OBSTACLE Former Mattel executives agree that the company had competitive intelligence pointing to a desire among 8-to-12-year-old girls for a bolder, hipper Barbie—but Mattel

Human analysts, not computers, bear most of the responsibility for spotting competitive threats, trends and opportunities. Technologists can arm them with “text mining” software that

In the last 20 years, the American Red Cross has responded to a tsunami, terrorist attacks and numerous hurricanes. One constant: A 1980s-era bar code

Rival firms aren’t the only force that can take your company apart. Political movements, societal pressures, economic shifts and technology breakthroughs can sneak up to