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    <title><![CDATA[Discussion on How to recession-proof IT ]]></title>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[IT Management in tough times]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2618449]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[In this crunch time enterprise wide Projects and Portfolio Management applications can give lots of real time visibility, reduce investements on waste IT inventories, bring visibility on poor perfroming and profitable projects. PPM Studio is one of the industry leader in this segment, please visit www.ppmstudio.com for more information]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2618449]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Deepak_Goel@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:55:29 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[RE: How to recession-proof IT]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2612034]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I agree. Just look at this: http://www.bloxxwebfilterblog.com/?p=137#more-137]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2612034]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[steph@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:50:02 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[My Thouhgts on Recession Proof IT]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611608]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I am at least one of those to work full time as an IT Director (That was the title I chose as they have no one else in the IT department except me) My boss seems to value my opinion and usually uses my judgment to allow me to continue projects that need to be done. I do it all in my world of IT. Exchange 2007, Cisco Infrastructure, IP Telephony, Websense, Antiviruse, and even PC level work. When I began with this company we had about 40 PC's that were (Inactive) sitting in a storage area. Yes these machines were a little old, but virtually all machines had Pentium 4 Processors, with at a minimum of 1.5 GHz processors. I have been slowly reformatting, reloading XP, and upgrading RAM. These PC's are now going back in service. When I tell my boss that I can take 10 machines, rebuild them up the memory to the Max capable, and spend under a $1,000.00 he says &quot;Is that possible?&quot; Well I am doing it and this is one way to help with recession proof in my IT world.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611608]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[timothy_patnode@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:08:43 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Incredibly short-sighted]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611575]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Our IT staff has been cut almost 40% while Finance, Facilities and the Executive staff have increased dramatically in size. We have deployed automation and new systems that allow the &quot;real workers&quot; that serve our external customers (the bill-payers) to do more work with fewer employees. Anyone that has ever successfully located the &quot;Start&quot; button on the Win95 box at home, or made that sae system connect to a wireless router, thinks that they know more than the IT staff. No, IT does not normally make money for the company. More importantly, they can save the company HUGE amounts of money and improve profit margins by making it more efficient.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611575]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[chip_langowski@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:04:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Review &amp; Rationalization]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611542]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Take a deep look at the systems and processes and ask &quot;how can I do more with less people&quot;?  Our firm has been executing that strategy for other companies, via a service called Consulting-On-Demand. Take a software area which requires five people, automate the tasks and use specialists on a part-time basis.  It adds value to the company and enhances the role of a senior finance or IT executive.Patrick]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611542]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[pbyrne@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:55:21 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[The Cold, Hard Truth]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611534]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I agree that this will be a good time to examine and improve our processes: however the way it will play out is this: Cut expenses-make the desktops live for another year, no new equipment purchases except in case of hard failure, no new software. Make it work with a 10% budget cut. The reality is that IT does not run the business- it is an expense and eats at profit.  It was that way in the good times and now that times are rough, IT looks like a leech feasting on the lifeblood of the real workers.  Get used to it.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611534]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[DimBulb]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:10:44 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Recession is an arbitrary term.]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611005]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[The title seems like you're looking for protection. You shouldn't need any. You should be doing the same thing, whether in a recession or not... Providing value to your customer. If you do that well, you'll thrive regardless. If you don't, you won't.The dollar might be legal tender, but it is our labor that is the backbone of this (or any) economy. If we concentrate on that, the rest will right itself. Not because of government action, in spite of it!]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2611005]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[TonytheTiger]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:41:37 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Recessions are not all the same]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610958]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Generally, recessions are part of the business cycle.  Recessions can be a healthy retreat for the economy or could be a symptom of srructural change going on.  Since the early 90's we have been some what spoiled by more years between recessions and we forget how to deal with the downturn.This recession is marked by a correction in value of the real estate markets.  The second big hit this time is the credit industry is adjusting to the correction of the real estate industry and this keeps widening out from the initial correction.  What makes this time shaky is that the value of all real estate is in question.How this effects IT depends on the relation between the business of the company to its financial and credit health.  If credit is tightened then projects may be cancelled or delayed and IT staffing could be frozen or reduced.  How IT fares depends on the percieved value of IT services in contributing to the bottom line.  If IT is seen as a cost, then expect cost reductions.  If IT is seen as revenue enhancing, then expect pressure to increase revenue.  In either case, update your resume and stay alert for the time to jump to a better job.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610958]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[sboverie]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:32:55 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[Call off the concrete]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610931]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Man says he can hold it all up with virtuality.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610931]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[santeewelding]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:38:57 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[IT and the Economy are still in a 90s mindset]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610917]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[1990-2000    With the .com boom fueling the IT indusrty and the rush to make sure that the year 2000 issues didn't shut down the world, it was an IT analyt's dream. It seemed that the consulting industry during this time was the only smart place to be. With the basic credientials and certifications you could work on a project for 6 months a year and go on to the next. You would aquire more knowledge, more documented experience, and obviously demand more compensation for services.2000 - 2005    The IT industry has kept on the path of consultants for two reasons. They were a short term hire that can be directly written in and off of your budget. And their was no ramification for not keeping them. And the best part was, they really were not your employee.2005 - 2007 The slow down of the IT consulting market has begun. Business is paying more attention to the global market and the down turns in industry. Business has outsourced services and hired consultants to do the work and now they need to ween out the dead wait, primarily to make the budget as attractive as possible.2008   The economy is in turmoil and the IT industry is scrambling. The over bloated outsourcing staff is getting slashed, which is something they should have done three years ago. Budgets are being slashed and the CIO/CTO is looking for ways to get the job done.-----I'm not trying to predict that consulting services is going to fade away. But when times get tough, industry tends to focus on using the resources they have, rather then outsource. Its already been obvious that companies are asking more from in houe employees rather then bringing in consultants. And if you look at this logically, why would I outsource my e-business portal or application development when I'm not sure if that company I outsourced to, will be their tomorrow. Let alone if that consultant writes good code that can be supported, changed, and/or maintained by in house staff.CIO/CTO are changing their pitch,&quot;We need to invest in long term employee relationships keeping strong, technically capable people on staff&quot;Any company executive that looks at IT as a blackhole has a black hole in their head.I.T. is the business foundation, like it or not, and if you short change your foundation the house falls.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610917]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[LarryD4]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:27:50 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[They're generally academics...]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610862]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[You'd feel horrible about being right, because you'd be looking at the human aspect of it. These &quot;pundits&quot; are generally academics, who're not looking at it from a personal perspective, but at the &quot;eye in the sky&quot; perspective...Being right is a matter of reputation, and being right is what gets them a better paycheck... so, while this is a case of the economy hurting, they're now in better standing over their peers who ridiculed them... thus, they celebrate a disaster...]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610862]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[shryko]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:54:32 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[NO!!! it's a case for REVIEW... neither in- nor out-sourcing...]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610858]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[This is not a case for outsourcing, nor a case for in-sourcing.This is a case to review all the spending, and more specifically, the ROI... if outsourcing will hurt the quality, it's the case of saving the bottom line at the cost of the top line. Increasing margins but decreasing the sales doesn't win, generally.I'm a finance person, but still a geek, so, I understand that CFO and CIO *TEAMWORK* will be what comes out with the best results. Strategies that are from one OR the other, well, generally are a bad plan, as the different knowledge/skills allow them to make up for each others' shortcomings.]]></description>
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        <dc:creator><![CDATA[shryko]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:50:36 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Does it make a case for outsourcing?]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610601]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[In these troubled times, do we see more IT sourcing to cheaper desitinations?]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2610601]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Project Manager]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:54:13 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[A Barbaric Look at this topic]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2609559]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I strive to remain professional in my posts but I am going temporarily abandon that goal. If I ever ran into one of the &quot;pundits&quot; that this article refers to celebrating being right about the economic free fall that they have predicted, I would like to punch them. If I had made this prediction and it came out right, I would feel horrible. It did happen and now it sucks.As the effects of economic slow down on the IT world, this is not new. I have hard the comment &quot;IT doesn't make money, it spends money,&quot; more times that I care to think about. Executives see IT as a void, a black hole sucking up capital and returning little. This is the common struggle IT management has with CEOs and CFOs, trying to justify our existence when in reality; the only way to justify it is to see it fall apart. It is a losing cause. Until IT management can move into &quot;regular management&quot; roles, IT management needs to accept it and move on.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-275383-2609559]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[TheProfessorDan]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:02:24 -0700</pubDate>
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