IT for retail and logistics

UKtech50 2017 - The most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly has announced the eighth annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK IT sector Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

What are the advantages and disadvantages of drop shipping?

For both retailers and manufacturers, drop shipping has pros and cons. Here's some considerations to fuel research into the best strategy. Continue Reading

By

• Dave Turbide

Consumer identity management a growing trend

Consumer identity and access management is a growing trend, but system choice is still challenging, according to KuppingerCole Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Businesses need to balance user experience, privacy and security

Balancing user experience, privacy and security for the connected consumer is a key challenge for online businesses, according to KuppingerCole Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

UK IT professionals could lose out in a free trade deal between UK and India

There could be an increase in Indian IT professionals coming to work in the UK post-Brexit if a new trade deal is signed with India Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How does material intensity help measure sustainability?

One important foundation of sustainability is using fewer materials and less energy. Using the material intensity measure can help determine the success of those reduction efforts. Continue Reading

By

• Dave Turbide

CIO interview: Juan Perez, CIO, UPS

UPS CIO Juan Perez talks about the importance of having a “business-intimate” IT department and using technology to develop a “personal touch” Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

How fashion is turning to tech to get closer to customers

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine how the fashion world and clothing retailers are using technology to better understand customers and grow in such a competitive market. Brexit continues to dominate the conversation in the UK tech sector – we find out the hopes and fears of the industry. And we look at how to use OpenStack in a hyper-converged IT infrastructure. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

What are some elements of sustainable product design?

With waste from electronics, plastics and other materials growing at a frightening rate, manufacturers can help address the problem with sustainable product design efforts. Continue Reading

By

• Dave Turbide

CW Benelux: Young wayward hackers could help fill Dutch IT skills gap

In this issue, read how an initiative in Rotterdam is helping young people get into the IT sector by targeting those overlooked by traditional methods. Also find out how Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport is utilising open source software to create and use a multi-cloud platform with an open API, and how the Netherlands’ Rabobank has moved from tape libraries and robotic arms to a platform-based storage and retrieval system. Continue Reading

Bangalore offers the best ecosystem for digital transformation, says Economist report

Bangalore ranked as the number one location for businesses looking to access the right ecosystem to support digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIO interview: How River Island is using cloud to fend off its fast fashion competitors

River Island's CIO, Doug Gardner, discusses how embracing cloud, online and mobile devices is driving sales in its high street stores Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Go beyond GDPR for a competitive edge

By exceeding the bare minimum requirements set by privacy regulations, businesses can win customers by offering greater assurances, says a business adviser Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Monique Shivanandan leaves Aviva

CIO has left the insurance company after more than three years in the role Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Middle East blockchain forum moves to accelerate adoption of the distributed ledger technology

Blockchain technology is becoming more widely used by financial services companies in the Middle East, and is finding its way into other sectors in the region Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Court dates set for Post Office accounting system trials

An end is in sight for sub-postmasters’ campaign against alleged wrongful prosecution, which they blame on a faulty computer system Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Carglass France feels benefit of employee knowledge sharing

Automobile glass repair company Carglass France is using knowledge-sharing technology to distribute expertise among 3,000 employees Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

IOActive warns of security flaws in maritime communication system

Researcher discovers critical security flaws in an Inmarsat maritime communication system, highlighting the cyber risks facing the shipping industry Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Almost 70% of customers willing to use fingerprint biometrics to shop

Consumers are becoming more comfortable using biometrics to pay when shopping, with fingerprint payments proving the most popular biometric identification method Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Post Office computer system legal case reaches important procedural juncture

Sub-postmasters group action against the Post Office reaches an important milestone Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Cloud service spending almost matches traditional IT outsourcing

Traditional outsourcing spending has plummeted in the latest three-month period, but spending on cloud-based IT services is going some way to filling the void Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

RSA’s Middle East cyber security conference gains its own identity

RSA Abu Dhabi conference focuses on region’s cyber security needs as digital technology deployments expand Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Pizza Hut data breach shows need for board control

The poor handling of the data breach by fast food chain Pizza Hut shows that company boards need to take control, a London-based law firm advises Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

How is e-commerce packaging waste an issue, and what can be done?

As the world turns to online shopping for convenience, a pressing issue is developing -- packaging waste. Here are some considerations to get the conversation started. Continue Reading

By

• Dave Turbide

Dutch government agreement increasingly focuses on IT security

The coalition government in the Netherlands has agreed its plan for the next four years, with IT security prominent Continue Reading

By

• Tijs Hofmans

Some IT contractors earning more than £700 a day

Research shows 40% of contractors reach the average annual IT salary within three months Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIOs moving to revenue-generating roles

Gartner survey shows changing role for CIOs to cover revenue generation and deriving value from data, and spending less time on traditional IT delivery Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Where the device hits the network – a mobile device management update

As business becomes increasingly mobile, we look at the latest trends in mobile device management to give businesses the edge Continue Reading

By

• Rene Millman

How retailers are using technology to remain relevant

From the constant innovation at Asos, Amazon and Missguided to the new supply chain prowess flaunted by Diesel and Gap, fashion retailers are investing in tech to stay relevant to their customers Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Amazon launches Middle East region

Amazon opens its latest delivery hub in Bahrain to serve customers in the Middle East Continue Reading

By

• Triska Hamid

CIO interview: Russell Harte, group technology director, DFS

The furniture store’s group head of IT speaks to Computer Weekly about how customer experience can be used internally Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Blockchain tests delivering results and IBM seen as leader

Businesses that have invested in trials of blockchain technology will repeat their investments Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Can DevOps deliver on its productivity promises?

DevOps and agile working are often cited as key elements of successful digital transformation – in this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the challenges to delivering on that promise. Many retailers are investing in emerging technologies to gain an edge – but are they getting too far ahead of the curve? And we hear how a new spirit of collaboration could help UK broadband roll-out. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

BT offers enterprise customers flexible bandwidth for peak usage

New element of BT IP Connect Global WAN service will enable businesses to dial their network capacity up and down at will Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

European Union states question copyright law proposal

European states are questioning legality of a new copyright law proposed by the EU Continue Reading

By

• Jennifer Baker

IoT networks a massive sales opportunity for operators, claims GSMA

Commercial initiatives around low power wide area network infrastructure will present mobile operators with a potential $1.8tn revenue opportunity over the next decade Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

People with non-IT backgrounds could help fill cyber security skills gap

Organisations should look to fill cyber security roles with people who are curious and have work experience rather than focusing solely on graduates Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Dutch startup wants to revolutionise online food shopping

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how Dutch startup Picnic hopes to revolutionise the online food shopping market using artificial intelligence and data analytics. We take a look at the latest updates to Microsoft’s Office 365 cloud-based productivity tools. And we assess the prospects for AMD’s latest line-up of server processors and ask if they can challenge market leader Intel. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Women still under-represented in Nordic IT despite region’s efforts

Although countries in the Nordic region are often hailed as pioneers of digital and equal worker rights, there is still gender inequality in the IT sector. Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Government launches FTTP pilot for businesses, schools and hospitals

The government has released £10m to six FTTP trial projects around the UK, testing ultrafast broadband technology in businesses, schools and hospitals Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Content delivery innovation improves user experience for e-tailer

WorldStores Group, the owner of a number of online home and lifestyle retail brands, has transformed its customer experience with enhanced content delivery capabilities from Instart Logic Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Open source helps Schiphol fly to multi-clouds

Amsterdam airport Schiphol is utilising open source software to create and use a multi-cloud platform with an open API Continue Reading

By

• Jasper Bakker

CIO Interview: Neal Sunners, CIO, Avis Budget Group

CIO international and senior vice-president for innovation at car rental firm aims to remove customer stress by driving mobile self-service applications Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

UAE telco Du pushes SaaS adoption in Middle East

The Middle East looks set to see strong growth in software as a service and IT departments need to take a different approach Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

SAP Ariba gaining ground in APAC

Companies like Woolworths and DuluxGroup in Australia are using the cloud-based service to reduce procurement costs and risks Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Blockchain skills in high demand and jobs being swept up quickly

Job vacancies for people with blockchain skills are being filled in just seven days, on average, once they are advertised online Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NotPetya highlights cyber risk in shipping industry

Malware attack has shown that the shipping industry is vulnerable to cyber attacks, with Danish shipping giant Maersk reporting potential cost of up to $300m Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

World's largest’ data center planned in Norway

Norway will soon have the biggest datacenter in the world which will harness the countries rich natural resources Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Most consumers think they are more digitally savvy than some retailers

Consumers are becoming increasingly digital in the way they shop, and a survey shows nearly 60% think they are more digitally innovative than some retailers Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CIO interview: Daniel Gebler, chief technology officer, Picnic

The Netherlands has the highest supermarket density in the world, yet a technology company has been able to gain market share from the established order Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Over 40% of IT professionals want another general election this year

A large proportion of IT workers in the UK want another general election this year in the hope it will stave off a hard brexit Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic countries top digital nations ranking, but risk stalling

Nordic countries are leaders when it comes to digitisation – but they must continue to innovate to retain their position Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Formula 1 goes digital

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn hopes to make the sport more digital to enhance the fan experience of Grand Prix racing. We learn how virtual reality is being used to deliver healthcare services. And we examine the ethical concerns around artificial intelligence technology. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Sub-postmasters allege 'bullying and intimidation' by Post Office over Horizon IT system

Campaigners have submitted initial evidence in group litigation against Post Office over controversial Horizon IT system Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

How the DVLA is making driving digital

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we hear from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) about how it is becoming a digital hub for motoring and moving away from its legacy IT. Our latest buyer’s guide examines the future of data management. And we look at the importance of understanding the small print in your software licensing agreements. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Mastercard outlines future digital payment platforms after improvements to Qkr

Mastercard has developed its mobile app, Qkr, for spectators at The Open Championship. The improvements further demonstrate new digital payment platforms offered by the company Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

Tesco expands reach for same-day grocery delivery

Supermarket retailer Tesco announces it will be extending its offering of same-day delivery for groceries to across the UK Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Retail data breaches still high as GDPR deadline looms

As the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation compliance deadline approaches, retail data breaches remain unacceptably high, a data threat report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

IBM claims breakthrough in mainframe encryption

IBM says its new mainframe ushers in a new era of data protection in response to a call to action from chief information security officers and security experts worldwide Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Sainsbury’s Group sales grow as Argos boosts performance

Group reports 8% increase in online grocery business and 10% rise in online Argos sales as total like-for-like sales jump 2.3% in first quarter Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Nando's technology director explains using cloud to digitally disrupt its own business

Nando’s technology director, Richard Atkinson, describes how the restaurant chain is using cloud to get closer to its customers and build stronger ties with its 14,000-strong workforce Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Danish shipping giant Maersk recovering from major Petya cyber attack

Company confirms attack took down its IT system across multiple sites and business units, but has now been contained Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Security Think Tank: Focus on high risk by automating low-risk patching

How should organisations address the need to keep software up to date with security patches without it costing too much or being too labour intensive? Continue Reading

By

• Gabe Chomic

Key lessons from ‘Petya’ ransomware attack

While the cyber security community is still working to understand the latest ransomware attack that has reportedly hit 60 countries, there are key lessons to be learned Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Security Think Tank: Patching is vital and essentially a risk management exercise

How should organisations address the need to keep software up to date with security patches without it costing too much or being too labour intensive? Continue Reading

By

• Paddy Francis

Swedish fintech Klarna gains full banking licence

Swedish online payments provider Klarna becomes one of “the largest banks in Europe” after being granted an EU-wide banking licence by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Voice biometrics still relatively unheard

Authentication system could help reduce UK fraud by making it hard for fraudsters to glean information from contact centres Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Waitrose joins John Lewis for Jlab 2017

The 2017 JLab will see Waitrose, John Lewis and JLP Ventures band together to mentor and develop several retail technology startups Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

The human apprentices behind robotic automation

IT apprentices are helping large businesses transform their back-office processes through software robots Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tesco customers miss out on deliveries due to tech fault

A glitch in the supermarket’s store-side systems has meant Tesco’s deliveries to customers have been delayed Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Finnish mobile operators opt-out from free EU roaming

Finnish mobile operators have been exempted from new European Union data roaming rules for now Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Tips for buying hyper-converged systems

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the growing market for hyper-converged infrastructure - combining processing, storage and networking into an integrated design - and assess the options available to IT leaders. We ask mature users of the cloud what’s next for their migration to off-premise systems. And we analyse how retail supply chains are developing to keep up with online and mobile shopping trends. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Wickes customers hit by ‘system-wide’ online ordering problems

Computer Weekly understands a “system-wide” issue is affecting the home improvement firm's online delivery bookings, as well as its click-and-collect services Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Smart farming, IoT only way to feed growing population, says Beecham report

A report from IoT sector analyst Beecham says the agricultural industry will need to embrace smart farming methodologies to support the growing human population Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GDPR about change management, says startup DPO

There are threats and risks associated with the GDPR, but one data protection officer believes organisations should focus on the business opportunities instead Continue Reading

WannaCry shows validity of risk-based security, says RSA head

WannaCry and other recent cyber attacks underline the importance of adopting a risk-based approach to security, says RSA president Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Hundreds of sub-postmasters have applied to join IT-related legal action since March

The number of sub-postmasters who claim to have suffered as a result of a faulty Post Office IT system has reached 1,300 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Norwegian bakery chain gets the taste of mobile reporting

Baker Brun, a bakery company in Norway, is modernising its business processes through the latest technologies Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Taiwan’s OwlTing taps blockchain to improve food safety

The e-commerce company is using blockchain technology to provide consumers with greater transparency on food sources and production processes Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Finding customer data is big hurdle to meeting GDPR right to erasure

Global organisations do not know where customer data is stored and use unreliable data removal methods to erase content, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Toys R Us introduces tablets for store staff

Toy and games retailer Toys R Us is trialling the use of tablets for store assistance to provide a better customer service experience Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Tech packages to help Singapore SMEs go digital

Small and medium-sized enterprises in Singapore can now take advantage of a slew of pre-approved IT products to stay competitive Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Made.com trialling real-time chat for customer advice

Online retailer Made.com has partnered with Hero so showroom staff can chat live with online shoppers to help with queries and shopping decisions Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Nordic region competes for datacentre dominance

The Nordic region is an attractive region for datacentres as demand for cloud services in the area grows Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Blockchain economy on the horizon

Blockchain technologies will enable many new and disruptive business models than the internet itself, an expert predicts Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Highly skilled professionals at risk of being replaced by computers

Highly skilled jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence by 2022, says Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Large UK businesses increasingly want CEOs to have IT background

More large businesses in the UK want a CEO that has a good understanding of IT Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Mayor of London seeks chief digital officer

Capital’s first-ever chief digital officer will oversee the digital transformation of public services across London Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How to deal with data under GDPR

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we take an in-depth look at GDPR – the new EU General Data Protection Regulation - with only 12 months left for organisations to prepare for significant changes in data management. We hear how one firm is using machine learning to revolutionise online fashion retail. And we examine how CIOs can apply lessons from buying software to improve digital transformation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IT outsourcing going strong in the Nordics

IT outsourcing is popular among companies in the Nordic region, but the market is changing Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Forge ahead with GDPR, says ICO

UK organisations cannot afford to lose the public’s trust in their ability to safeguard personal data and should be working to ensure they have that capability, says the Information Commissioner’s Office Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Case study: Specsavers furthers digital transformation with single customer view

UK retailer Specsavers has been in the process of digital transformation for several years, and has now partnered with Fujitsu to eliminate disparate systems and create a single customer view Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Blockchain expands reach beyond finance

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how blockchain, the distributed ledger technology behind bitcoin, is extending its reach beyond financial services into new industries such as healthcare, energy and education. We hear from software developers about the pros and cons of componentizing application software. And we examine what a recent court case shows about Oracle’s controversial software licensing policies. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Criminal Courts Review Commission appoints forensic accountants for Post Office IT system cases

Investigation into claims of miscarriages of justice in relation to a Post Office accounting system has appointed a forensic accountant firm Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Kone brings elevator maintenance online with IBM Watson and Salesforce

Lift manufacturer is using sensors and artificial intelligence to support its maintenance staff Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

‘Can do’ attitude of DevOps teams is driving cloud-first strategies

The cloud-first strategies of businesses across sectors are maturing, with DevOps teams playing a leading role Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Virtual reality in healthcare

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how virtual reality technology is starting to be used to improve health and patient care. We examine the new UK tax laws that are causing IT contractors to quit government digital projects. And we analyse the software licensing issues arising from SAP’s recent court case over indirect access to its applications. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

IAM a core building block for GDPR compliance

Identity and access management is key to enabling organisations to become compliant with the GDPR, increase security and improve customer relationships, according to a senior analyst at KuppingerCole Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

The Graze journey: from pureplay to multi-channel

Health food retailer Graze began as an online subscription platform, but has used customer data to successfully cross the boundary into the physical retail space, says CEO Anthony Fletcher Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Customer expectation is biggest problem for retail, says panel

As retailers increasingly try to serve consumers across online, in-store and mobile, the main challenge they face is consumer expectation, according to a panel of experts Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor