Everyone in business is familiar with information technology (IT) and understands what it means, but what about operational technology, often abbreviated “OT”? At first glance, IT and OT appear similar because they share similar technologies like IP networks and Windows operating systems – but they have very different objectives. While IT systems generally support office workers and...
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As a CEO, I am constantly reading about the latest studies that “reveal” C-suite top priorities. One day, it’s digital transformation; another day, it’s the war on talent; and sometimes, it’s what the government is up to (or not up to) with trade relations or economic cycles. The point is, executives have lots in their sphere of concern—because frankly there are a lot of issues to consider and...
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As we discussed in the first post in our series on Robotics Process Automation (RPA) in the healthcare industry, “Making the Case for RPA,” the initial step in creating an RPA Center of Excellence (CoE) is to demonstrate the business value of the initiative through a strong Proof of Concept (PoC).…
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This feature is part of a series highlighting the contributions and career paths of women at West Monroe. Especially in technology consulting, traditionally a male-dominated industry, it can be difficult for women to find role models and paths that work for them. The goal of this blog series is to communicate the unique paths and successes of women at WMP.…
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It’s news that many of us saw coming: Salesforce is in the process of acquiring ClickSoftware Technologies, Inc. in a deal valued at $1.35B in cash and stock. This comes on the heels of Salesforce’s largest acquisition ever, Tableau Software, in a deal valued at roughly $15B. The combination of Salesforce and ClickSoftware will create a newly combined force of strategic vision and strength in...
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When it comes to architecting secure enterprise networks, capable cybersecurity tools are a key part of the equation. But they’re not a silver bullet. In a recent network segmentation project on behalf of a client, my team and I discovered a vulnerability affecting Cisco’s Firepower Threat Defense firewall line (as disclosed by Cisco here).…
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Think back to some of your most recent unpleasant experiences. If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ve probably found yourself, your luggage, and your backpack crammed into an airport bathroom stall with a broken door hook, balancing your items above a filthy floor and cursing the reason you’re traveling, the airline, and yourself.…
Read More This feature is part of a series highlighting the contributions and career paths of women at West Monroe. In technology consulting—traditionally a male-dominated industry—it can be difficult for women to find role models and paths that work for them. The goal of this blog series is to communicate the unique paths and successes of women at West Monroe.…
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The ability to transform businesses through digital is one of the greatest value creation tools available to private equity. While time constraints may present a challenge, prioritizing and implementing the right digital investments can be a highly effective way to deliver efficiency improvements, revenue and earnings growth, and drive a high return at exit.…
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As we engage utilities on their progress and insights deploying data analytics platforms and use cases, we’re noticing a common theme. When embarking on more complex operational technology (OT) use cases, they are finding gaps in historical records that require them to revisit or rethink their data acquisition, storage, and retrieval strategies.…
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2019 has not been a banner year for Minnesota’s M&A market. After a half-decade of record-setting activity, the local M&A scene has cooled significantly, with the lowest reported deal volume and dollar values since 2013. According to Pitchbook data, total deal count for Minnesota companies for the first half of 2019 was 35% lower than over the same period in 2018.…
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Although it’s been a conversation in the industry since 2014, the dialogue around sun-setting Libor (London Interbank Offer Rate) is intensifying. Published daily, Libor is the interest rate benchmark upon which many other interest rates are based. With its replacement, SOFR (secured overnight financing rate), widely agreed upon, Libor’s planned retirement in 2021 has made advice from...
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