TrendAlert: Globalization and Distributed Corporate Information Centers

This Briefing examines the strategic and tactical issues involved in globalizing corporate information centers. Cost reduction is typically a primary driver of globalization, but there are other drivers as well: standardization of service levels, 24/7 service availability, and brand uniformity, among others. The Briefing analyzes a number of specific challenges that information centers face, including cultural differences among users, IT and networking challenges, and team building for widely distributed staffs. It also addresses tactical issues such as buyer/vendor relationships and the appropriate leadership skills that globalization requires. For content deployment professionals, the Briefing presents a road map for the globalization process and a checklist of potential pitfalls. For commercial content vendors, this Briefing highlights some significant areas of potential conflicts with the globally distributed customer organizations that are increasingly the norm.