Abstract :
The use of any particular technology should be strategic, selective, targeted and subject to continual review. It is equally clear that pre-packaged bundles of technologies that have had labels like lean, agile and even ´leagile´ slapped on them are of extremely limited usefulness. Indeed, the UK´s Department of Trade and Industry has reported that less than 30% of companies implementing any form of lean or agile related improvement programmes manage to achieve worthwhile results. One alternative to jumping on a bandwagon loaded with pre-packaged bundles of technologies is to develop your own company-specific combinations of new and existing technologies, a combination that can facilitate the achievement of your own market-orientated strategies. This may require more thought, but it is a lot more likely to set your organisation apart. That is, as long as you make sure that there are rock solid grounds for each and every one of your technology investments.
