Corporate Intranets Reshape Organizations and Their Work; Understanding 'Life Cycle' Essential To Managing Corporate Intranets, According To New Concours Group Study.

KINGWOOD, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--April 30, 1999--

From its original role as a data repository and simple corporate directory, the intranet has rapidly grown to become the central nervous system of the enterprise, according to a new report from The Concours Group, an international research based, management consulting and education firm, specializing in IT and business management issues. Successful intranets now link every aspect of the corporation and can redefine work, cut costs and even help increase employee retention.

The Concours Group conducted the research, called "Project CI: Managing and Exploiting Corporate Intranets," which involved a detailed study of 15 Fortune 1000 companies. The "Intranet Life Cycle" is a management tool, outlining the important stages through which intranets mature. The life cycle approach assists corporations because it is both a planning mechanism and a measurement of the company's intranet success.

"Corporations without intranets will find it difficult to compete, work with, or catch up to competitors who have established intranet systems," said Dr. Janet Asteroff, a research director with The Concours Group. "Even companies with successful intranets need to understand the phases of the intranet life cycle because the information and capability revealed at each stage provide the leverage to reap the benefits of new business opportunities."

Asteroff explained the four stages of the intranet life cycle:

-- Originate - Whether the intranet is formally introduced by the

CEO or starts as an IT project, this stage is where both the

company as a whole and individual employees grapple with the

reality of a corporate intranet. Since this is a fledgling step,

intranets need to move out of this phase quickly or they will

die.

-- Automate - At this stage the intranet has been accepted and

companies can begin to increase productivity and save money

because the intranet capabilities are being applied more

systematically to do old tasks in new ways.

-- Innovate - As the intranet approaches maturity, users explore its

possibilities and learn to do new tasks in new ways based on

enhanced communication and information systems.

-- Reorganize - Work flow and business processes are reengineered.

New work, new organization, and revamped intranet infrastructure

enable companies to become more effective in doing business in

the digital age.

"In developing the intranet, companies need to identify the business issues, structure the system to reflect the corporate culture, and be flexible enough to encourage experimentation," said Peter Sorrentino, engagement manager, The Concours Group. "Executives need to understand that in the early stages of intranet development, managers need breathing room to show value."

The Project CI report may be purchased in conjunction with a telephone consultation or an on-site seminar. For pricing information, please contact The Concours Group at 281/359-3464.

The Concours Group is an international research based, management consulting and education firm specializing in managing human and information technology resources to create business value in major corporations. The firm consists of senior staff that has developed many of the important management techniques of the last decade. The Concours Group is headquartered in Kingwood, Texas, and has United States offices in Cambridge, Mass., and Westlake Village, Calif., as well as European offices in London, England, Munich, Germany, Paris, France, and Amsterdam, Netherlands. For more information, contact The Concours Group at 3 Kingwood Place, 800 Rockmead Drive, Kingwood, Texas 77339. Tel: [phone]. www.concoursgroup.com.