Managing Technology

Companies need to invest in four kinds of digital capabilities to achieve digital transformation. They must start with a unified digital platform to integrate data and processes across sales channels. They need a way to revamp solution delivery to adapt new technologies into their operations. They need to develop analytics capabilities, which often requires a change in corporate culture. And they need good working relationships and tight integration between business executives and information technology executives.

New research finds that investments companies make in information technology increase profitability and sales more than investments in advertising or R&;D do.

Executives must decide which IT innovation "waves" to catch & #8212; and which ones to let roll by.

It takes a special breed of project manager to execute business analytics projects.

Virtual worlds have been slow to catch on in businesses — but employees familiar with the technology may help.

Large companies that invest in trendy IT innovations may see their reputations — and CEO compensation — increase the next year.

In theory, IT innovation is important — except it's often not a priority in company budgets.

The rising data flood and emerging tools for analyzing it are changing the ways innovation gets done.

The irony: We know less about the sources of value in the economy than we did 25 years ago.

On the Web, innovative data reuse yields opportunities — and legal questions.