Harvard Business Review

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

Instead, our interviews found a willingness to let organizational forms and structures evolve naturally, developing in line with the identity of the enterprise. Some of the first business functionaries were railroad telegraph operators who managed schedules. The functional model of organization dates back to the 1850s.

Development 8

Development Supply Chain Incentives Outsourcing 8

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

An impatient marketing or finance manager would, on the sly, secure some extra budget money and hire a contractor to build a little database that tracked mailing addresses or top-line financials. Slowly but surely, as the little database grew bigger and bigger, the manager would wedge the cost into her operating budget.

Supply Chain 15

Supply Chain CIO Budgeting Project 15

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 26, 2013

The original IT department was formed to centralize a unique expertise that could purchase, implement, and manage technology in the enterprise. Rather than serving as an adjunct to the core business, or merely a cost center, IT is becoming intrinsic to the very products and services that every company offers. Why is this?

Supply Chain 8

Supply Chain Competitive Advantage Information Technology How To 8

Harvard Business Review

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Theories and practices of management often spring from the opportunities created by new technologies. Client-server technology begat enterprise resource planning systems, and the consequent system-wide visibility that was required for what we call business process management (BPM). yagi studio/Getty Images.

Management 9

Management Software BPM Technology 9