DEFINING WHAT IT MEANS TO MANAGE TECHNOLOGY

know and accept to stay competitive while managing networked/B2Boriented organizations. Change is confusing, difcult, and often painful. But, as all of you know, theres no way to avoid technology change. Accepting the change technology brings, rather than resisting it, will help ease you into a world in which technology serves you and your organization, rather than you serving it. And knowing the emotional stages that both you and your employees will experience will make you better equipped to promote change within your organization and reap technologys benets.6 ORGANIZING FOR A NETWORKED, B2B FUTURE As tech-savvy and seasoned managers know, organization and set-up are half the battle. If you take the time up-front to establish human procedures and rules, processes and communication channels, you will nd the job of managing in a networked, Web-enabled world far easier and you will more than earn back the cost of technology implants. Knowing how to organize your operation to function in both three-dimensional and virtual worlds, promote communication and accuracy, and operate electronic equipment and computing is key to success. As always, business strategy should be top on the list when dictating a technology course. Management issues are also key. You will want to explore how information ows in your company, and the sorts of skills your employees have or lack to handle the tasks of working in an networked, Web-based fashion. Ensuring that employee schedules are exible to meet the demands of this new world is also crucial.7 MAKING TECHNOLOGY CHOICES Even if you have no intention of becoming a techie, you may nd yourself forced into making technology selections that have huge ramications for your company or institution. You dont have to be a skilled computer programmer to learn how to make wise technology choices, and to work with your IT (Information Technology) department on this process or with technology vendors. The key to a wise, cost-effective approach to this process is knowing and