STRATEGIC PLANNING

(THINKING)

FOR THE DIGITAL ERA


 

Volume 6, Number 12                                       July 2000

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RETHINKING COMMUNITY

"All institutions in a democratic society rest on the bedrock of community. When a sense of community disappears, the actual practice of democracy fades.  Special interests or other forms of tyranny then begin to dominate ... processes.

"Early on, when people began to grapple with how the Internet might change society, the rise of ‘electronic communities’ was much discussed.  Today, we still are very uncertain how electronic communities - if electronic networks and forums can really be called communities - will eventually interlace and affect geographic communities.  There are many questions here well worth exploring."

Blake Harris, Visions Editor of Government Technology
sets the stage for an outstanding Special May 2000 Issue.
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INTELLIGENT LEARNING COMMUNITIES

"Municipalities everywhere are rushing to jump on the bandwidth bandwagon: electronic communities, smart communities, and wired communities.  But, in the rush to incorporate the latest, greatest new technologies, will we be creating better places or just or more wired version of the ones in which we already live?  As we link thousands of businesses, institutions, and organizations with the computer screens of millions, will our towns, cities, suburbs, and rural places become more intelligent communities that can use all the stunning new technology to achieve a higher quality of life?"

Katz, Peter, "The 70 Percent Place." Government Technology,
13(7), May 2000, 8-9 and 45-47.

What process can be used to rethink community and co-create a conceptual framework for- an "Intelligent Learning Community?" 

How can the conversion from existing forms of bureaucratic democracy, with its education systems intended to promote high Quality Of Life (QOL), be transformed via technology to be in much closer proximity to the IDEAL of our founding fathers? 

What instruction, research and service mission priorities should educational institutions consider as they strive to produce the intellectual capital and trained workforces to meet challenges of the emerging digital global economy?
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COMMUNITY GOALS PROJECTS AND
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Community goals projects have been reported in literature for the past 40+ years. "Goals For Dallas" was one of the first goals projects.  Community goals projects tend to have 10-15 categories for services, including education levels. "Goals for Charlotte/Mechlenburg" involved 11 colleges and universities in the Charlotte Area Educational Consortium.

Leadership development projects have also been reported in the literature. Most projects have a "class" of 25 to 50 middle-level managers who have the potential for leader roles and positions.  A class usually begins to meet in the fall to help to plan the meeting sessions throughout the year.  Most goal setting and leadership projects are not connected.
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GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE COMMUNITIES

Research about competitiveness and globalization emerged in the1980s, often due to economic restructuring.  Research led to recommendations for globally competitive communities.

One report indicates "GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE COMMUNITIES"

  • introduces each new generation to the work ethic 
  • makes a commitment to becoming outward-looking and export-oriented 
Plus 12 more items as a prelude to
  • pursues and monitors, with local business support, an inclusive vision of quality of life so citizens of all ages and incomes can participate in educational, recreational, and cultural dimensions of local life.
Bowes, D.B. "Creating Globally Competitive Communities."
Industry Week, 245(10), May 20, 1996, Al-24.
RETHINKING, RESTRUCTURING, & REVITALIZING

Application of technology requires "Rethinking Community."   Programs on RETHINKING and RESTRUCTURING for REVITALIZING:

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ELECTRONIC COMMERCE AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

"MAKING A POWERFUL MATCH:
When Knowledge Management and e-business come together,
companies find themselves working smarter online.”

"This time around, the Internet revolution isn’t focused on selling books, bidding for collectibles or even organizing the Web for mass consumption. Instead, the driving force is companies looking for creative new ways to conduct e-business with a whole world of existing and yet-to-be discovered partners that aren't limited by geography, existing relationships, size or other traditional factors. The explosion in the number of online marketplaces, trading exchanges, vertical portals and software vendors eager to attach “e" to the front of their product names is a tangible manifestation of business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce."

"Under the covers of most successful B2B initiatives are tools and technologies that so-called KM products and approaches helped to pioneer. The familiar product, categories of business intelligence (BI) analytics, content and document management systems, enterprise portals, business process management, and collaborative environments are the engines behind this more complex form of e-commerce. This year’s B2B marketplace is redefining these legacy categories, some of which are only a year or two old."

Roberts-Witt, Sarah L. "Making a Powerful Match."
Knowledge Management, 3(6), June 2000, 32-37.
http://www.kmmag.com/

SEARCHING OFFSHORE

"Five hundred years ago, Western explorers set sail for India lured by its vast array of spices, jewels, and silk. Today, history is repeating itself. But this time it is Web pioneers who are crossing the seas to tap the region's rich IT resources."

Jastrow, David. "Searching Offshore." Computer Reseller News, May 22, 2000, 134 & 132.
http://www.crn.com/

MAPPING NET GAINS

"Mapping Net Gains" is a display of B2C alliances among Internet players. America Online, AT&T, Microsoft, and Yahoo emerged as gatekeepers of the Internet Economy in 1999. The article is based on the work of Valdis Krebs who used information available from http://www.orgnet.com/netindustry.html

Barth, Steve. "Mapping Net Gains." Knowledge Management. :3(6), June 2000, 24.
http://www.kmmag.com/
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COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING

Blacksburg Electronic Village was one outcome of a community and university partnership that began in the early 1990s.  A partnership planning process is available at
http://www.bev.net/

The Greater Philadelphia Area is an example of a multi-state region that is making a transition from a concentration in "heavy" manufacturing to new era manufacturing and services. Major medical and pharmaceutical companies are going global. The Eastern Technology Council is a catalyst to the region. Technology Times contains information about area activities.
http://www.techcouncil.org/
http://infol@techcouncil.org/

The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, has an electronic newsletter mailto:%20Knowledge@Wharton
which contains valuable information about public policy and management, health economics, innovation and entrepreneurship, leadership and change, and numerous other topics
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/
Wharton and IBM will partner to extend the school’s activity in executive education, distance learning, and online dissemination of business knowledge.

The Capitol Region is another multi-state regional planning area that brings together technology, venture capitol, and education and training for economic development leadership.  Techway contains a continuous flow of activity with daily updates
http://washtech.com/

The May 22 issue had an article on 10 venture capitalists who each respond to eight questions.

The University of Maryland University College has announced new Executive Certificates and Graduate Certificates Online:

1. Executive Certificate for Chief Information Officers, Executive Certificate (EC) in International Business

2. EC in the Strategic Management of Tech & Innovation

3. GCO in Distance Education & Technology

4. GCO in Library Services in Distance Education.

http://www.umuc.edu/gsmy  

mailto:%20suso@ginfo.umuc.edu
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A CHICAGO, MILWAKEE, and GREEN BAY CORRIDOR

Chicago is a hub for commerce with a corridor that extends to Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee, and Green Bay.   Milwaukee is also an anchor for one end of the corridor west to Madison.   A Wisconsin Idea developed in the early 1900s is being used as a concept to create The Milwaukee Idea.  A first round of ideas has been developed into broad stroke action plans for EDUCATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, and ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH.  A framework for first idea action plans is on the next page.

A "Consortium for Economic Opportunity" should be a catalyst for collaborative domestic and global goals and supported by a "Technology Center" that could provide assistance for Anytime (24/7/365) Anywhere Education and Training.
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 THE MILWAUKEE IDEA

First Ideas Action Plans

Idea Initiatives           2000-2001   2001-2002   2002-2003   2003-2004

Campus Design Solutions

Cultures & Communities

Consortium for
Economic Opportunity

Small Business Dev Center
Center for Community Econ Dev
"Urban Developers" Program
Economic Development Forum

Fresh Water Initiative

Knowledge Fest
The Chancellor’s Research Forum
Research & Development Day
Community Connections Initiative
Publicity, Publications & . . .
Research Enhancement Initiative

Partnerships for
Environmental Health

International Affairs
Initiative
Content of the Curriculum
Faculty and Student Body
Connections and Services
· facility overseas
· learning online
· partnerships

Healthy Choices

Partnerships for Education
GEAR UP
Teacher Quality
Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers
to Use Technology
Milwaukee Teachers Recruitment

Technology Center
Technology Creation
Technology Transfer
Technology Consultation
Technology Education

A second round of "Ideas" is being discussed. The Milwaukee Idea can be accessed at
http://www.uwm.edu/MilwaukeeIdea/sap.html
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INCUBATORS

"In case you haven't been in the loop with the blitzkrieg of incubators hitting the market, the idea behind them is quite simple. In the beginning, incubators - such as CMGI and Idealab - offered basic infrastructure for nascent companies.  They provided startups with copy machines, secretaries, and a cast of neighboring entrepreneurs with whom fledgling executives could schmooze."

"As the Net craze has continued, incubators have begun to offer almost the entire operations of a business - from business and Web site development to marketing and strategy. Think of an assembly line: There are the technologists who build the site, which then rolls down to the marketing team to sell it, and then it hits the business development team, which tries to partner and merge it. The conveyer belt hopefully ends at IPO acquisition." (See "The Next Wave.").

Lipschultz, David. "Making Ideas Fly." Internet World, June 15, 2000, 31-34. http://www.internetworldnews.com/

Gunn, Eileen. "The Next Wave." Internet World, June 15, 2000, 36. http://www.internetworldnews.com/
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RECRUIT OR DIE

"Cisco Systems is an ever-growing behemoth with big-time people needs. Fortunately, it also has Randall Birkwood as director of an employment operation that is bigger than many good-sized job placement firms." The article contains "Seven Tips for Drafting The Best and Brightest."

Caulfield, Brian. "Recruit or DIE." Internet World, June 15, 2000, 70-80. http://www.internetworldnews.com/
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A WORLD OF TALENT

"Recently, Asera, Inc., a B2B Internet solution provider had a customer that wanted customer-relationship management (CRM) functionality built into its sales and marketing.   At the time CRM wasn't going to be on our product road map for another six to nine months,” says Asera president and CEO Warren Weiss, “but we were able to hire more people and speed up our development process to meet the client’s needs.  Our expansion efforts rely on project-based resources, and in going offshore . . .,” notes Weiss.  “It's an approach that's working extremely well for us.  We're able to scale up very quickly and can hire people who have the same skills as in the U.S. - in some cases, even better.”

McCartney, Larry. "A World of Talent." SmgrtPartner, :3 (22), June 12, 2000, 40-44. 
http://www.smartpartnermag.com/
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CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT (CRM) STRATEGY

Customer Relations Management (CRM) is a key aspect of e-business, both Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to Consumer (B2C).  The June 27 issue of PC Magazine contains a series of excellent articles on CRM.  An article by Sarah Roberts-Witt contains information about traditional CRM companies, ECRM companies, small business CRM companies, and ECRM outsourcers.  An article by Sebastian Rupley indicates how brokerage firm Charles Schwab uses the Internet and technology to keep track of more than 7 million active customers and over 10 million customer calls a month.  A third article by Michael Dell, CEO of Dell, indicates that customer relationships are the single most important factor.

Roberts-Witt, Sarah L. "It’s the Customer, Stupid."
PC Magazine, 19(12), June 27, 2000, 6-13. In iBiz.

Rupley, Sebastian. "Customer Care on Wall Street."
PC Magazine, 19(12), June 27, 2000, 24-30. In iBiz.

Dell, Michael. "CRM in the Internet Era."
PC Magazine, 19(12), June 27, 2000, 33. In iBiz.
http://www.ibizmag.com/
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E-COMMERCE DRIVES DEMAND

"Application performance assessment during pre-deployment planning is an essential step for ensuring customer satisfaction, particularly in, the e-business era where the financial stakes are high. The recent growth of Web-based business-to-business, business-to-consumer, and internet applications and recentralized trends, are driving the explosive demand for network bandwidth."

Sato, Rieko. "Predicting the Unknown: E-Commerce Drives
Demand for Capacity Planning." HPProfessional, 14(6), June 2000, 22-23.
http://www.hppro.com/
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CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER

The CIO role is being reshaped and CIOs are at the executive table in four different "species" -- each with distinct roles and sets of skills critical to e-business.  A study of the 1,400 CIO members of Gartner's Executive Programs, a new style of executives with business and technology fusion has emerged.
http://www.kmworld.com/news/ihdex.cfm#2135
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KM: THE FOUNDATION OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT

Electronic Government conducted a conference on KM in April.

Sessions: Best Practices, critical success factors, ROI,
Communities of Practice, CKO - Are You Ready, etc.
http://www.e-gov.com/knowledge-management/conference/track.asp
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Davenport, Tom. "Connect the Dots: Get Ready.  E-services are coming to a business near you." darwin, l(l), June,, Jul,, 2000, 60-61. http://www.darwinmag.com/

Griffin, Eric. "Frames: The Next Generation." Access, June 18, 2000, 9. http://www.accessmagazine.com/
 


McGee, Marianne Kolbasuk, and Greenmeier, Larry. "Lifestyle, Location, And IT." INFORMATIONWEEK, Issue 788, May 29, 2000, 48-60.  http://www.informationweek.com/

Roberts-Witt, Sarah L. "It's the Customer Stupid." PC Magazine, 19(12), June 27, 2000, 6-18.
http://www.pcmag.com/

Stanton, Tom, and Chang, Stephanie. "Bridging the Digital Divide." Access, June 18, 2000, 10.
http://www.accessmagazine.com/

Plugged In
http://www.pluggedin.org/

Rainbow/PUSH Coalition 
http://www.rainbowpush.org/

Wright, Kimberly. "A State of Education: Kentucky Virtual High School offers public students extra education."  Presenting Communications, 17(5), May 2000.  
http://www.presentingav.com/
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CONFERENCES .
STRATEGIC PLANNING (SP) NEWSLETTERS
AND OTHER INFORMATION

SP newsletters and other information can be accessed at  http://www.blackboard.com/courses/webcom

Click on "Announcements" and then on "Course Documents" and click on "Warren Groff-s' Newsletters" to BROWSE/MINE.

Then, click on "External Links" and "The Friendly Forum." and BROWSE "The Friendly Forum: Class Discussion"  Note the topics that you can
MINE and add information.  Browse Asia Society, Globalization and the Family of IT Careers, Taiwan, and other topics.  Access corporate R&D of
companies that are international trade leaders in high tech and analyze the competencies and skills needed by workers.

Warren H. Groff, 3408 N. 49th St., Milwaukee, WI, 53216-3208