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The News - June 23, 2008
"You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ” – Clay P. Bedford
Top Picks
Strategic Alignment Performance Study
“This comprehensive 48 page study supports a breakthrough in thinking about IT business alignment that rejects the notion of generic IT. Even for firms in the same industry, business strategies and key success factors may differ. This research report can help IT organizations frame strategic alignment analysis in terms of building and managing an IT organization with capabilities that best fit the strategic business need. IT can also help organizations optimize ongoing alignment by implementing processes and procedures that best predict top levels of performance alignment for each archetype.
The IT Process Institute conducted a study 269 North American IT organizations greater than $100 million in revenue from various industries, to determine specific practices that enable IT strategic alignment success. The survey collected data on nine value archetype attributes as well forty nine strategic alignment practices in five categories, and sixteen alignment performance measures.”
http://www.itpi.org/home/strategic_alignment_performance_study.php
Sarbox Isn’t the Only Problem with U.S. Public Markets
“Niederauer said companies are ‘voting with their feet’ and leaving U.S. markets also because of the fiercely litigious environment in the U.S. and because the U.S. has not yet adopted the International Financial Reporting Standards that most countries use. Though the changes that have been made to Sarbanes-Oxley implementation guidelines are a good start, he also noted that the U.S. needs to do its part to create a ‘barrier-free securities market.’”
http://www.itbusinessedge.com/blogs/ssg/?p=339
Energy Information Administration. Electric Power Monthly
This is a very interesting source of information about electrical production in the United States. If you want to compare rates between states and see trends, this is the site to go to.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html
Book Recommendation
Human Error by James Reason
This book was published in 1990 and provides an interesting framework of how to assess the manner in which we commit errors. Definitely a recommended book!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521314194?ie=UTF8&tag=georgespaffor-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521314194
Read some of the book at google books by clicking here.
[ Note – I normally like to show the links for people reading this newsletter in text mode but the google books URL is a very long. If you want to read the book but don’t have the link, just google “Human Error by James Reason” ]
IT Audit / Internal Audit / Compliance
Sloppy Spreadsheets: Readers Speak Out
“Today we present a ‘best of the worst’ selection from readers, from formatting faux pas to basic ignorance of good spreadsheet mechanics. The authors of our original article agreed to provide commentary on reader observations, and to suggest some possible corrections.”
http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11525407?f=members_061908
Dying for a Date
“If the United States moves to adopt international accounting standards, who will teach them? What books will they use? And who will write the licensing tests for CPAs?”
http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11566491?f=members_061908
Audit bill slashed as BA quits NYSE
“British Airways has cut 30% from its audit bill after pulling out of the US stock exchange and dropping Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.”
http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2219490/audit-bill-slashed-quits-nyse-4080404
IT Process Improvement / Quality Management
So What are You Measuring?
“Metrics are great. We all know that we should be measuring things and generating reports with pretty charts right? There are numerous books on the topic of metrics for IT, tools that can generate reports with graphs and so on. The problem is that once all of that work is done and the reports are created, are they really worth anything?”
http://www.itsmwatch.com/itil/article.php/3752871
Statistical Process Control (SPC) Resources
Here are some resources on SPC concepts for groups looking to either implement or strengthen their reporting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistical_process_control
http://www.isixsigma.com/st/control_charts/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2629285/Introduction-to-Statistical-Process-Control
http://webche.ent.ohiou.edu/che408/Introduction%20to%20Statistical%20Process%20Control.ppt#256,1,Introduction to Statistical Process Control
http://www.hanford.gov/rl/uploadfiles/VPP_4_SPC.ppt
http://www.qualitytrainingportal.com/resources/spc/
Security and Risk Management
Security Wire Weekly: Risk management standards, secure software coding
“In this podcast, Jim Hietala, vice president of security at the vendor standards consortium Open Group, talks about a project underway to develop risk management standards. Also, SearchSecurity.com Executive Editor Dennis Fisher discusses the state of secure software development and whether software vendors will ever certify the security of their products.”
http://go.techtarget.com/r/3877475/3121061
Going Public
“When must a private company make its internal records available? That's a question digital-disk manufacturer BlueRay Technologies is facing — in court.”
http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11439122?f=alerts
Legal liability for YouTube viewers
“Users of YouTube and other video-sharing sites could face $750 per clip penalties if they have watched a video that was uploaded without the copyright holder's permission. Copyright infringement in the United States strict liability offense. What this means, is that users are liable when they illegally copy works, even if they're not aware that this is wrong, or that the work is protected by copyright.”
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13739_3-9936833-46.html?tag=sc.blog
DHS gives $80M to improve identification security
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded $80 million in grants to help states improve the security of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification documents.”
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/06/23/daily1.html
Corporate Security Worldwide Fails Basic Tests
“Eighty-one percent of corporate endpoints probed by IT security and control product vendor Sophos failed basic security tests: They either lacked Microsoft security patches, their client firewalls were disabled, or they missed endpoint security software updates.”
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/147389/corporate_security_worldwide_fails_basic_tests.html
Healthcare / Bio-Informatics / Care Delivery Organizations (CDOs)
The new doctor-patient paradigm
“The Norman Rockwell image of the doctor-patient bond, typified by an all-knowing, paternalistic doctor focusing on an admiring patient, has evolved into something very different. Now it's a relationship in which patients, empowered by Internet-acquired information and buffeted by frequent changes in insurance coverage, have few qualms about challenging medical advice or moving on to the next physician. And no one has noticed this transformation more than doctors themselves”
http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/memag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=522085
Perspective: Connecting hospitals and small physician offices
“Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a Harvard teaching hospital and major medical institution based in Boston, is connecting four diverse, local physician offices to its community electronic health record (EHR) infrastructure and anticipates data sharing among the small offices by August.”
http://www.nhinwatch.com/news.cms?newsId=3564
Human Error / Safety / Environment
Global warming a 'catastrophe' for north Russia by 2030 – expert
“By 2030 global warming and the melting of northern Russia permafrost could lead to a catastrophe destroying housing, infrastructure and forests, a first deputy emergencies minister said on Thursday. Speaking during a roundtable in the Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, Ruslan Tsalikov said over a quarter of housing in north Russia could be destroyed along with local airports, underground storage facilities, including oil reservoirs, if Siberia's huge permafrost started to melt further.”
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080619/111285847.html
Global warming to spark increase in US wildfires
“Today much of the north-western US wilderness is already a tinderbox, but thanks to global warming, wildfires will be scorching even more land every year by the end of the century.”
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change/mg19826615.500-global-warming-to-spark-increase-in-us-wildfires.html?feedId=climate-change_rss20
Iowa flooding could be man’s fault, experts say
“Enshayan, director of an environmental center at the University of Northern Iowa, suspects that this natural disaster wasn't really all that natural. He points out that the heavy rains fell on a landscape radically reengineered by humans.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25254541/
Global News / Business / Economics
China stresses price stability after fuel hikes: official
“China's top economic planner has urged local authorities to ensure goods prices remain stable after the government hiked fuel prices by as much as 18 percent. The National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement on its website that local officials should closely monitor liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas, whose prices were not increased.”
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g7kHWORencA5W13G58y_3RnAeCVw
China probes hundreds of quake-fraud complaints
“Across stores and shops in China, it is impossible to go anywhere without seeing a jar or a box for donations to help those who lost their homes in the quake, the CBC's Anthony Germain reported. But there is also shock and indignation that some people are using the tragedy to line their own pockets.”
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/06/23/china-quake.html
China warns officials against corruption, champions transparency of quake fund distribution
“China is warning officials at all levels to protect the billions in quake-relief funds from improper handling. At a nationwide live press conference Monday, the Ministry of Supervision's top official reaffirmed the importance of a recently-issued regulation by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection to avoid the misuse of the funds.“
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/23/content_8426064.htm
Chinese cut fuel subsidies but demand fears remain
“China's decision to hike prices for petrol, diesel and electricity has won praise from the United States despite fears it could spark increased demand, analysts say. China became the latest Asian nation to curb energy subsidies last week after hiking retail petrol and diesel prices as much as 18 percent.”
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5habiTClO6-7n56i9zrbBMxdYvWBA
Saudi Arabia to produce more oil
“Saudi King Abdullah confirmed Sunday that his country will increase daily oil production to 9.7 million barrels from 9 million to counter the sharp rise in international oil prices.”
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/22/news/international/Saudi_summit/index.htm?postversion=2008062214
US News / Business / Economics
States weigh options in offshore oil fight
“Governors in some coastal states promised to block attempts to tap offshore petroleum reserves, citing concerns about the environment and tourism. Others agreed with President Bush's call to lift a 27-year-old federal ban on offshore drilling but said states should decide whether to allow it.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25252119/
The Urge to Un-merge
“And the spinning continues. Two more companies announced high-profile divestitures this week, joining a number of others that are seeking to add value by letting go.”
http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/11579265?f=alerts
Passengers sue to stop Delta-Northwest merger
“A group of airline passengers sought to scuttle Delta Airlines Inc.'s proposed takeover of Northwest Airlines Corp., alleging in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that the deal would result in an illegal monopoly.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25251808/
Credit crunch could end up costing $1 trillion
“Major U.S. investment banks this week announced yet another painful quarter amid the implosion of mortgage-backed securities and risky credit investments. Regional banks have scrambled to secure fresh capital to stay in business, and by Wednesday there was new talk that embattled investment bank Lehman Brothers might be forced into a sale.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25251212/
State, city layoffs: 45,000 and counting
“The latest hit to the economy could come from state houses and city halls across the nation, which are in their worst budget crisis in years. With falling revenue from sales and income taxes, and property-tax declines looming, states, cities and towns have already laid off tens of thousands of government employees. Many expect more job cuts ahead as public officials struggle to balance their budgets.”
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/23/news/economy/local_government_layoffs/index.htm?postversion=2008062308
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