Smart Companies, Smart Tools: Transforming Business Processes into Business Assets - Hardcover

Smart Companies, Smart Tools Transforming Business Processes into Business Assets Thomas M. Koulopoulos Smart companies - innovative firms in which the nurturing of the unique contributions of each individual employee is leading to unprecedented success. Smart tools - technologies, models, and systems these companies use to create a liberating work environment, to facilitate round-the-clock communication, to continually measure success and efficiency, and to get the most out of their technological investment. Smart Companies, Smart Tools - the book that shows you how to make these innovations a part of your company. Expert consultant Thomas Koulopoulos takes you behind the scenes at smart firms of all sizes. You'll see how their focus on "workflow" - tools for planning and implementing information-based tasks and services - fosters an efficient, empowering cohesion between traditional and nontraditional staff, yielding profit-raising, cost-cutting, employee-inspiring results. In an era of virtual organizations, globalization, free-agent employees, and downsizing, you either get smart or you get left behind. Here's how to make sure your firm keeps pace.

Smart Companies, Smart Tools Transforming Business Processes into Business Assets Thomas M. Koulopoulos What are "Smart Companies"? "Smart companies" are agile, adaptive firmsdynamic, streamlined, unshackled from the mire of "thats the way weve always done it." Casting aside the Industrial Revolutions worship of mass customization and interchangeability, these firms emphasize the unique contributions of each individual employee. What are "Smart Tools"? "Smart tools" are innovative technologies, models, and systems that maximize human potential, resulting in stronger competitive advantages and customer connections. So, where are todays smart companies? What tools are they using? And most importantly, how can you as a manager make sure your own firm "gets smart"? The answers are here in Thomas Koulopoulos savvy, up-to-the-minute new book. Koulopoulos spotlights todays smart companies, describes the methods they are using, and shows you how to develop, implement, and measure the effectiveness of your own "smart tools." The key is workflowa set of tools developed for proactive analysis, compression, and automation of information-based tasks and services. As Koulopoulos demonstrates, with example after example, smart companies maintain efficient, two-way processes that bring the work to their peoplewhether they are 9-to-5ers, flex-timers, home workers, or travelers. You will see how stellar firms of all kinds (service, retail, manufacturing) and sizes are using innovative technologies and systems to:

• Provide a flexible, liberating environment
• Foster enthusiasm, creativity, and individuality
• Involve employees intimately in the work process
• Facilitate round-the-clock communication and continual education
• Focus on Return-on-Time as the principal measure of success
• Get the most out of their technological investment

And you will get the information you need to respond to todays business challenges (virtual organizations, globalization, free-agent employees, downsizing) and your companys own unique situations with smart managerial moves. Not every new model or technology is right for every company. But Smart Companies, Smart Tools shows you what is working, and what will work for you. So, if you want your company to get in step and get ahead, get smart.