Technological advances are constantly changing the way businesses operate. ‘Cloud computing’ is the new buzzword that refers to businesses running software offsite and accessing it through Internet browsers. Although the market for cloud computing is growing, cloud service providers will need to win the confidence of service purchasers before corporations will decide to free themselves from their IT departments. A large part of this decision and the success or otherwise of taking up the software as a service model depends on the transformational capabilities of the organisation’s leadership.
In a recent FT article titled “Misconceptions about cloud computing” , authors Chris Burn and Conrad Thompson suggest that Cloud can help a company lower IT costs and improve the efficiency of IT operations, but that its true potential exists in its ability to transform business models. Cloud can stimulate innovation and offer a true competitive edge, but [...]

In our book Intimacy , Andrew and I found that advances in IT can facilitate greater intimacy of relationships among colleagues. However, this does not necessarily seem to be the case for non-colleague spouses and partners. This week I came across this recent survey from Sheraton hotels which found that 35% of respondents would pick their Blackberry over their partner.
Now, I know that sometimes a Blackberry may compete with a spouse for attention, but I think that 35% of people choosing the device over the person is endemic of the BlackBerry addiction and technology addiction more generally I’ve found in my research. If someone chooses his BlackBerry over his spouse, and brings it into the bedroom (87% of respondents), and admits he ‘loves’ it (62%) (findings that echo my own research), then clearly this person needs to reexamine his priorities.