InSys Views - August 2009

Volume 4, Issue 8 - August 2009

I believe it's a mistake to think the public sector is supposed to solve the big problems, while the private sector concentrates on making money. It's not that cut and dried, and I think you can make real changes by how you approach the workplace.

That's why I'm excited to be involved in this year's Peace through Business initiative, an international mentoring program managed by the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW). This month, about 30 women from Rwanda and Afghanistan are coming to the US, for two weeks of business training at Northwood University, and a week of one-on-one mentoring with a woman entrepreneur.

I'm spending my time with a business woman from Afghanistan, letting her see how we do things at InSys and learning how she runs her shop, a training and development agency in Kandahar. That may seem like a stretch, but just about any business has the same fundamentals. It's about setting objectives, finding and motivating employees and defining products or services that your customers want to buy. I think we'll learn a lot from each other. Stay tuned, and I'll let you know how it goes next month.

Linda Magnusson-Rosario, CEO

Cloud Computing on the Rise

The recession is fueling an interest in virtualization and cloud computing as a way to cut costs. With this comes an increase in something Gartner refers to as "cloud service brokerages." Read the article.

A New IT Manifesto

A post at informationweek.com discusses A New IT Manifesto, a document that has become a "rallying point for the chief information officers who are tired of being regarded as corporate scapegoats." Read the article.

Boost Your Brand From the Inside

Companies develop complex and often very expensive marketing strategies - from hiring well-known branding firms to spending huge advertising dollars. But most companies forget that their most important marketing asset can be their own employees. Read the article.

Vacations Are Good For Your Health

According to a recent survey by the University of Pittsburgh's Mind-Body Center, free time, including vacations, is a factor in generating to more positive emotions and fewer negative ones. Read the article.

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