Business electronic banking has become so ubiquitous that one would expect the participants to be blas'e about it all. Not so. Constant reminders in the media keep bankers and customers alike on their toes.

Corporate networks have evolved from simply being the glue that connects different layers to intelligent systems that do more than just facilitate the transfer of voice and data.

New human resources technology is driving competitive-edge, integrating HR into the enterprise and bringing together personnel and business objectives to create a new working world.

Retailers seem awash in money to spend on their IT strategies. However, this won`t make life easy for IT vendors who need to know retailers` business models, issues and widely varying technical competencies.

Choosing a Web host is like any other corporate investment. It has to be affordable, and it has to make business sense.

PC commoditisation has happened, but first-tier vendors are still struggling with the concept.

Strategic alliances are a necessity rather than a strategic option for IT companies competing in a rapidly changing industry and dealing with demanding customers with increasingly complex needs.

Outsourcing continues to attract attention in SA. Indications are that suppliers and recipients of services are getting to grips with the strategic issues that success in this country demands.

While the coming of the RFID age appears to be inevitable, many South African companies are unclear as to what they should do about it.

The ideal black ICT executive is a rare breed. So it`s a tough and costly battle for companies to attract and keep them.

Security is the proverbial dark horse of the IT market, completely neglected at first, but today an area of paramount importance to businesses of all sizes.

Of the R8 billion spent on technology in 2004, 60% came from the public sector, underlining the importance of government IT spend and its direct relationship with the buoyancy of SA`s IT fortunes.