Business applications
At the heart of enterprise software strategy are the key business applications upon which every organisation relies. From enterprise resource planning (ERP) to customer relationship management (CRM), financial and accounts software to business intelligence (BI), such applications demand high investments and can deliver high returns. We analyse the latest product developments and the news from major suppliers such as Oracle, Microsoft and SAP.
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News
29 May 2025
Sapphire 2025: BASF evolves business with move to SAP S/4Hana
Germany-based global chemical giant BASF has elected to move its SAP IT estate to S/4Hana private cloud to evolve its business in uncertain times Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2025
Infor bets on ‘micro-verticalisation’, sees uptick from SAP customers
Infor’s head honcho in Asia-Pacific and Japan details how the company's deep industry focus and cloud-native business applications are driving growth and attracting customers, including those rethinking their SAP roadmaps Continue Reading
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Photo Story
03 Jun 2016
Computer Weekly@50: What was happening in IT in June over the years
Significant articles published in the month of June over the last few decades from the Computer Weekly archives at The National Museum of Computing Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Jun 2016
For IBM, the answer is Watson. But what is the question?
IBM is promoting its Watson natural language processing analytics technology as it tries to move its core business beyond technologies that it pioneered, but which have become commoditised. Will it fly? Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2016
MPs’ private emails are routinely accessed by GCHQ
Computer Weekly investigation reveals the extent of interception of MPs’ and peers’ email communications and data Continue Reading
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News
27 May 2016
Bristol Water outsources IT as business model transforms
Bristol Water outsources IT to Wipro to support it through a period of transformation to its operating model Continue Reading
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News
26 May 2016
Healthtech brand Qardio adopts NetSuite OneWorld
Qardio, a brand offering health technology devices, wanted an ERP system to deal with billing, accounting and taxes in different regions of the world Continue Reading
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E-Zine
24 May 2016
Data drives Leicester City FC to victory
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how data analytics and wearable technology made the difference in helping Leicester City FC become the surprise winners of the Premier League. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at 3D printing and asks if it is ready for widespread enterprise use. And IT leaders tell us their strategies for successful technology sourcing. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
19 May 2016
ING Turkey uses digital technology to improve services and grow customer base
Turkish bank uses business process management technology to offer financial services through 1,500 grocery stores, technology outlets and post offices Continue Reading
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E-Zine
17 May 2016
Countdown begins to new EU data protection rules
In this week’s Computer Weekly, with the new EU data protection rules ready to become law, firms now have just two years to prepare for the stringent regulations – we assess the challenges. Manufacturing giant Rolls-Royce talks about why it moved its HR systems to the cloud and the lessons it learned. And we look back at 50 years of technology innovation in storage. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 May 2016
Graph database technology starts to come of age beyond social media
Graph databases, based on mathematics known for three centuries, are starting to yield value for businesses beyond Facebook and Twitter Continue Reading
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E-Zine
12 May 2016
CW Nordics: May 2016
The Nordics is seen as a pioneer of the latest IT. The populations of the region are keen to try out new IT services and it has a large population of IT startups creating them. In banking, for example, the region is pushing the tech boundaries. One of the most overt changes digital technology has brought to people’s lives is how they do their day-to-day banking. Most developed economies are seeing the same trends: bank branches closing; people using cashless payments; and mobile phones becoming the most popular banking tools. But the Nordics could be a pioneer. In this quarter’s issue of CW Nordics, we feature a debate about whether Sweden, the region’s biggest economy, could become the first country in the world to go cashless. Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2016
Tel Aviv: A smart city where community engagement is the measure of success
Israel’s capital is using the latest technologies as a way of placing the needs of local citizens at the heart of regional government Continue Reading
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E-Zine
10 May 2016
Graph databases are making connections
In this week’s Computer Weekly, the recent global scandal revealed by the Panama Papers relied on graph databases to uncover secrets from huge volumes of data – we look at the business benefits of the technology. Most organisations are failing to take basic IT security measures – we examine why. And we analyse the latest flash storage innovations. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 May 2016
CW@50: From bricks to clicks – how technology has changed the shopping experience
As Computer Weekly prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, we look back at how retail has evolved from the small corner store of the 1960s to the omni-channel world of today Continue Reading
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E-Zine
06 May 2016
CW ANZ: May 2016
The Australian payments system is being transformed with mobile banking and programmable tap-to-pay terminals now ubiquitous and a major shake-up of the national payments system underway. It’s clear the country’s biggest banks aren’t afraid of innovation, with investments being made in the financial services digital development trend, known as fintech. But why are Australian banks afraid of Apple Pay, which has been mostly ignored by banks? Continue Reading
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E-Zine
06 May 2016
CW ASEAN: May 2016
The Asean region is home to 700 million people with a combined GDP of US$2.6trn, with expected growth in average annual healthcare spending between 2014-18 around 11% of GDP. Healthcare organizations in the region are undergoing a great transformation in terms of adopting new technologies. By using business intelligence and data analysis technologies they are able to make better and more informed decisions for their patients. Download this issue to find out how a Singapore hospital used technology to become paperless, filmless, chartless and scriptless. Also read about the innovative use of data technologies in Asean's healthcare space. Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2016
Tech-savvy Asean populations shake up enterprise IT, says AIA CTO
A young, urban and tech-savvy population in the Asean region has forced enterprises to rethink their IT strategies Continue Reading
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Guide
28 Apr 2016
Essential guide to application modernisation
Tools and technologies are emerging that help IT leaders to modernise existing applications and maintain their investment in legacy systems Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2016
GE launches Predix-power application for the industrial internet
GE’s digital division is now a fully fledged software business with the introduction of an asset performance management system Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Apr 2016
CW@50: Data management – Five decades of prospecting for business value
Data management and business intelligence have been at the heart of business value creation for decades. Read about how Computer Weekly has tracked their promise and tribulations Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2016
Singapore online grocer RedMart uses cloud ERP to drive growth
Online retailer RedMart turned to cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) when its existing system struggled to keep up with business growth Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2016
DevOps advocates bust myths around use of agile software development in enterprise
Continuous software delivery experts set out why enterprises could be missing out by shunning DevOps Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2016
Singapore SME makes HR analytics affordable for other small companies
A small supplier in Singapore is offering other SMEs a SAS-based HR software shared service Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2016
Capgemini to build 100-strong team of blockchain specialists
The IT services firm is building a team of 100 blockchain experts as banks start to consider the technology as the future of financial services Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Apr 2016
Singapore’s Jurong Health Services: Transforming healthcare through data technologies
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) is being recognised for its high standards of data use Continue Reading
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News
12 Apr 2016
UK poised to lead global fintech sector, says Tech City chair Eileen Burbidge
Tech City chair and venture capital expert says the UK is in a position to become a world leader in financial services and sheds light on how cloud can provide failing firms with a stay of execution Continue Reading
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E-Zine
12 Apr 2016
How IT in a portacabin supports £1bn London Bridge station overhaul
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how a temporary IT set-up based in a portacabin is supporting the UK’s largest critical infrastructure project – the £1bn redevelopment of London Bridge train station. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at converged infrastructure products. And we analyse research showing data protection topping the list of UK security priorities. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2016
Activist Lauri Love faces order to disclose encryption keys
The UK’s National Crime Agency takes an unusual legal step to force a former university student accused of hacking to disclose encryption keys Continue Reading
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News
08 Apr 2016
CIOs lack faith in IT’s ability to meet digital demands of business
VCE research suggests IT departments lack confidence in their ability to meet the digital demands of their organisation Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Apr 2016
CW@50: From ICL to ITIL
Standardisation helps industries to grow. Here in the UK, a number of highly influential standards emerged that have become building blocks for the modern computer industry Continue Reading
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E-Zine
05 Apr 2016
Seven steps to digital leadership
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at the key characteristics of successful leaders as digital transformation becomes a business priority. We examine Microsoft’s plans for exploiting the internet of things and the role of its Azure cloud platform. And we look back at British IT history after WW2 as the first part of our new series of articles for Computer Weekly’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
23 Mar 2016
Danish utility NRGi goes offshore for IT platform transformation
Danish utilty NRGi has outsourced its IT to Indian services supplier Wipro as it attempts to transform its operations amid increased competition Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2016
Britain to pay billions for monster internet surveillance network
New questions raised about Britain’s snoopers’ charter after Denmark abandons its own UK-style surveillance programme for a second time Continue Reading
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News
16 Mar 2016
Rolls-Royce cloud HR project will pay for itself in two years
HR IT director Mark Judd explains how engineering and aerospace firm swapped ageing ERP and spreadsheets for a company-wide core HR system Continue Reading
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News
16 Mar 2016
Oracle Q3 2016: cloud revenue grows, US currency strength takes toll
SaaS and PaaS combined contributed $583m in third quarter, up 57% in US dollar terms, while IaaS was down 2% in dollars to $152m Continue Reading
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Photo Story
15 Mar 2016
Computer Weekly@50: What happened in IT in March over the years
We search back through the Computer Weekly archives held at The National Museum of Computing to present what was happening in IT over the last five decades Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Mar 2016
CW@50: The heyday of British computing - how the Brits ruled IT
We examine how the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s became an age of great innovation for the British computer industry Continue Reading
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News
15 Mar 2016
Automated financial advice service causes RBS job losses
RBS announces job cuts as it invests in automated services designed to give online financial advice Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2016
The Christie speeds up SPC charts to improve clinical processes
Cancer specialist NHS trust implements statistical process control chart creation tool in data visualisation software Tableau to improve processes and save money Continue Reading
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News
08 Mar 2016
RWE chief executive points to SAP billing system as cause of npower losses
Npower has announced a radical restructuring plan, shedding 2,400 jobs on the back of losses of €137m. Its parent company’s CEO identified an SAP billing system as the source of the UK unit’s woes Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Mar 2016
Building datacentres under the sea
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at Microsoft’s trial of an underwater datacentre and assess the technology and environmental implications of running cloud services under the sea. As PC suppliers build new products around Windows 10, we ask if the desktop PC is set to be reinvented. And with ransomware on the rise, we examine the threat of cyber extortion. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Mar 2016
Combine data mining and simulation to maximise process improvement
Data mining and computer simulation can be used together to better model and improve industrial processes, city development and other complex systems Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2016
Outsourcer MSXI puts Microsoft cloud in driving seat
Business process outsourcer MSXI has replaced Salesforce with a Microsoft business applications stack to support its car dealership business Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2016
Mobile apps could put an end to ‘hated’ staff appraisals
Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte, reveals the top HR technology trends for 2016 Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2016
CIO interview: Ismo Platan, SSAB
Retiring CIO of Swedish steel company tells Computer Weekly about the progress made in merging two Nordic steel firms and looks at the biggest hurdles that lie ahead Continue Reading
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Photo Story
10 Feb 2016
Future technology at the World Government Summit 2016
Delegates at the World Government Summit 2016 in Dubai discussed themes including the future role of governments, robotics and AI, smart cities, sustainable development, renewable energy and longevity. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
10 Feb 2016
CW Nordics: February 2016
The Nordic region is often described as a region that is leading the way in terms of the use of modern IT. The region needs IT to make up for factors such as having a small population, with many isolated communities. So IT both helps the region punch above its weight in business and enables its residents to receive services effectively. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2016
Insurance giant RSA announces another outsourcing deal
Insurance company RSA has penned its second major outsourcing contract in a week as it extends a BPO contract with Accenture Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2016
AstraZeneca IT insourcing exceeds expectation
The man heading up AstraZeneca’s project to insource its IT updates Computer Weekly on progress and explains the early benefits being reaped Continue Reading
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E-Zine
09 Feb 2016
How software protects people
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how software is helping to maintain safety in high-risk sectors like oil & gas, aerospace and healthcare – and what lessons they hold for other organisations. We offer six tips from CIOs for innovation with data. And after the HSBC cyber attack, we examine the continuing threat to businesses from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2016
Post Office faces group litigation over Horizon IT as subpostmasters fund class action
Subpostmasters who claim to have been wrongly convicted of fraud take the Post Office to court after getting the funds for a group action Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2016
Wal-Mart to make huge data and analytics investment in India
Retail giant Wal-Mart is investing heavily in its IT development centre in Bangalore, turning the city into its most important centre outside the US Continue Reading
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News
20 Jan 2016
Microsoft to donate $1bn worth of cloud computing resources
Microsoft's $1bn cloud computing donation is aimed at helping NGOs, academic research and developing countries Continue Reading
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E-Zine
19 Jan 2016
Is government surveillance going too far?
In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the UK prepares new laws on surveillance and data collection, we hear from security experts on the challenges of balancing privacy and security and their insider view on GHCQ and the NSA. We examine the growing threat of ransomware and how to tackle it. And we look at the implications of new EU data protection rules. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Jan 2016
Digitisation connects customers to companies on a new level
‘Digital’ provides more ways for people and businesses to connect than ever before, and a transformed role for IT in businesses old and new Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Jan 2016
Robots will transform, not replace, human work
Claims that robots will steal our jobs are commonplace – but humans will find themselves working side by side with robots, rather than being replaced by them Continue Reading
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News
15 Jan 2016
CIO interview: Kari Saarikoski, Finnair
Finnair is on a digital transformation journey and the airline’s CIO is changing the IT department as it progresses Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Jan 2016
How open source is beating proprietary software
In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest buyer’s guide assesses the impact of open source software on corporate IT and how its growth is underpinning the digital revolution. We examine the prospects for cloud in financial services as regulators give their approval. And we ask if Uber is really part of a new business model for the so-called sharing economy. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jan 2016
Interview: James Bamford on surveillance, Snowden and technology companies
Investigative journalist and documentary maker James Bamford was among the first to uncover the secrets of the US National Security Agency and its global surveillance Continue Reading
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News
24 Dec 2015
Top 10 financial services IT stories of 2015
The financial services industry is undergoing unprecedented change, driven by IT and regulation. Continue Reading
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News
23 Dec 2015
CIO interview: Henry Cohen, CIO, Telegraph Media Group
The newspaper publisher is developing an agile mindset in response to the growth of digital over printed publications Continue Reading
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News
21 Dec 2015
Royal Mail acquires cloud platform
Royal Mail acquires cloud-based delivery company as automation and better use of data become essential in a rapidly changing sector Continue Reading
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News
15 Dec 2015
Poundland launches e-commerce Christmas push with Rackspace managed support
Budget retailer has turned to Rackspace to ensure its first foray into online retail can withstand the seasonal rush Continue Reading
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News
11 Dec 2015
Case study: Airbus sets out challenges of changing IT supplier
Aircraft manufacturer sets out what it learned from switching IT provider after 12 years of working together Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2015
Three tips to help reduce Oracle licensing costs
London councils are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds a year with Oracle. Controlling these costs is the first step in taming Oracle licensing Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Dec 2015
How to free your business and staff with self-service
Introducing self-service IT can improve efficiency and hand control to the employee – so long as it’s done right Continue Reading
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News
03 Dec 2015
Workday ringfences support in Europe after Safe Harbour ruled unsafe
US cloud HR and financial services provider reponds to Safe Harbour failure by ringfencing European data Continue Reading
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News
27 Nov 2015
TUI develops apps to keep in touch with holidaymakers all year
Travel group plans to create mobile apps for holidaymakers to ask questions, book excursions and potentially plan their next trip Continue Reading
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News
26 Nov 2015
CIO interview: Turkka Keskinen, UPM
Finnish paper and forest products firm’s CIO tells Computer Weekly about the journey towards cloud-only IT Continue Reading
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News
23 Nov 2015
SAP UK&I User Group Conference 2015: Newcastle University puts ERP on Hana
Newcastle University has put enterprise resource planning and data warehouse data on SAP’s Hana platform in a proof of concept project Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Nov 2015
First steps taken on 'omni-channel' customer experience
The future customer experience might be personalised, but there is a long road ahead yet Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2015
Post Office IT support email reveals known Horizon flaw
An email from Post Office IT support reveals a problem with the Horizon system and supporting processes that could lead to accounting errors Continue Reading
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News
17 Nov 2015
Deutsche Bank signs India’s HCL Technologies for digital services and systems integration
Deutsche Bank is expanding its long-established relationship with IT services supplier HCL Technologies as it forges on with its digital transformation Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Nov 2015
Does Cambridge University Hospital’s Epic project indicate NHS lacks capacity?
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s £200m eHospital project was seen as a model of how an NHS trust could revolutionise its IT, autonomously. A tale of over-ambition? Continue Reading
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News
05 Nov 2015
Communication Workers Union warns subpostmasters of flaw in Post Office Horizon accounting system
The union that represents Post Office subpostmasters has warned of a problem with the Horizon accounting system at the centre of a long-running dispute Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2015
Australia's outsourced datacentre market rising on back of cloud computing
Datacentre investment in Australia is growing fast as corporates use data-intensive applications delivered via the cloud Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2015
A tale of two HPs: Hewlett-Packard splits into two digital businesses
The two Hewlett-Packard (HP) businesses are both digitally aligned. HP Enterprise is pushing hybrid clouds; HP Inc is taking the road to 3D printing Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2015
CIO interview: Torben Høeg Bonde, Vestas
The CIO at Danish wind turbine company Vestas is playing a key role in turning the company into a software supplier Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2015
Met Office's new supercomputer to deliver £2bn of socio-economic benefits
The Met Office aims to realise a range of socio-economic benefits to UK industries thanks to improved forecasting with its new Cray supercomputer Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2015
Tech will turn HR into a ‘productivity department’
HR technologies are moving away from managing staff in favour of helping them become more productive Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2015
British American Tobacco saves £1.4m after automating candidate selection
British American Tobacco uses custom profiling software to cut the number of applications managers have to screen by half, as part of a major re-organisation of its recruitment processes Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2015
Oracle OpenWorld 2015: Larry Ellison vaunts Oracle’s cloud services over rivals
Larry Ellison promoted his company’s cloud services and berated rivals in his opening keynote at Oracle OpenWorld 2015 Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2015
Transforming Singapore Post through modern technology
When Singapore Post realised it had to change its business model to survive, it appointed its first CIO to front the technology transformation Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2015
Yakult uses data analytics to boost growth in the Netherlands by 20%
Probiotics maker Yakult is using analytics and data visualisation tools to boost its sales in the Netherlands Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2015
UK retailers could use data analytics more to cash in on Black Friday
Research by data visualisation supplier Tableau suggests British retailers could do better with analytics as Black Friday looms Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2015
German rail and transport group turns to virtual reality in war for talent
Deutsche Bahn claims to be the first company in Germany to use virtual reality as a recruitment tool Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2015
MySQL 5.7 aims at deeper convergence with Oracle tech and NoSQL
MySQL 5.7 has been released with next-generation hardware in mind, offering greater interoperability with Oracle and NoSQL database technologies Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2015
James Arbuthnot takes Post Office IT fight to House of Lords
James Arbuthnot takes his seat in the House of Lords and continues campaign for subpostmasters who claim to have been wronged by faulty Horizon IT system Continue Reading
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News
19 Oct 2015
Opera chooses Workday over Oracle as it moves HR to cloud
Browser company Opera opts for slick internal IT as it competes with Apple and Google for skilled technologists Continue Reading
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Photo Story
16 Oct 2015
An introduction to the Microsoft Business Store
Microsoft is building a way to enable Windows 10 enterprise users get the business applications, enabling IT to deploy them centrally Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2015
Silicon Valley startups pitch to solve next-generation business IT problems
We visit Silicon Valley to meet some of the emerging tech companies focusing on enterprise IT Continue Reading
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News
07 Oct 2015
Tesco decides to keep Dunnhumby after strategic review of business
Supermarket giant Tesco has scrapped plans to sell analytics arm Dunnhumby after restructuring and analysing its assets Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2015
Workday seeks growth, not profit, as it expands in Europe
Cloud services company Workday is setting its sights on growth as it expands from cloud HR, to finance, learning and analytics Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Oct 2015
Ford reduces injuries with virtual assembly programme
Ford is using computer-aided design to help reduce cases of productivity-sapping musculoskeletal disorders caused by the labour process Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Oct 2015
How technology is helping deliver aid to Syrian refugees in the Middle East
The Syrian refugee crisis has engulfed the Middle East, but technology is proving to be an essential tool to help aid organisations support displaced people Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2015
Legal documents reveal HP's failings over Autonomy
The board of Hewlett-Packard (HP) knew about Autonomy’s failings – yet voted the $11.1bn acquisition through regardless, internal memos have revealed Continue Reading
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News
29 Sep 2015
Nationwide Building Society deploys artificial intelligence to reduce back-end complexity
Nationwide Building Society is using artificial intelligence to help it reduce the complexity of its back-end systems as it introduces more digital products Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2015
Nordea Bank signs Temenos and Accenture for core banking transformation
Nordea Bank AB has chosen the core banking system it wants to build its digital future on, signing Temenos and Accenture as technology partners Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2015
Is Microsoft Office 2016 reliable enough for business?
A day after a major Skype outage, Microsoft unveils Office 2016, which, ironically, offers tight integration with Skype Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2015
Health chief 'should be held to account' for whistleblow errors
Former nurse and clincial commissioner Bernie Rochford claims unfair dismissal after blowing the whistle on IT problems which put patient care at risk Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2015
Almost 30% of retailers use facial recognition technology to track consumers in store
Retailers are using more technology in store to track customer behaviour, with the younger generation finding it useful for their shopping experience Continue Reading