Mark Raskino

It may be tempting to use up a chunk of your precious reading and browsing time this week watching the media-fest surrounding the launch of Apple’s new portable device.  However,there are bigger issues. The direction of the economy is volatile and the recent bullishness of your business team may start to waver. So as a technology leader, when you keep track of the external world this week, focus on two key areas:

1. The annual earnings reporting season, which really kicks off this week especially in the US ( over 100 companies reporting there). Here we will see

• If revenues are on the rise, showing demand recovery (not just earnings driven by cost cutting)
• Leader’s outlook predictions, their views on forward orders and demand strength
• New strategies being launched, and perhaps new strategy patterns forming

2. The World Economic Forum in Davos, where senior leaders from global companies and governments will come together to discuss:

• How to Strengthen Economic and Social Welfare
• How to Mitigate Global Risks and Address Systemic Failures
• How to Ensure Sustainability
• How to Enhance Security
• How to Create a Values Framework
• How to Build Effective Institutions

So this week will be a global business conversation building time – and that conversation will be defining what the ‘new normal’ looks like. That in turn will help frame what you will asked to do next with IT and how much resource will be available for it. Work hard on reading that mood and the directions emerging from it.  It’s not a good time to be seen as the person round the table who is only good for debate about the latest gadget… no matter how cool.

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