Technology

2003 articles

IFRS: a shock to the system?
Convergence is complex and controversial. But for an increasing number of countries it's unavoidable; and so is the process of preparing financial systems for compliance, as Lesley Meall discovers
The doomed partnership
Jon Ashworth reports on probably the most high profile failure of the Internet boom, the merger of AOL and Time Warner
IBM: being blue
IBM has survived changes in business practice and technology for almost 100 years - despite teetering on the brink a few times. Today, Lesley Meall finds it mirroring the experiences of many of its clients, as it prepares for an uncertain future
Efficiency drive
Richard Willsher writes on the creation of Covisint, an e-marketplace for the auto industry
The march of Linux: how much should Microsoft worry?
Lesley Meall discovers how Linux has turned into a serious proposition for business applications, not because it's a free operating system, but because it is freeing corporates from the shackles of ever-increasing technology costs

Compliance concerns
Should you buy dedicated compliance software, or develop your core business systems to support your present and future compliance efforts? Lesley Meall considers the options
Google: a successful search
Stefan Stern looks at the popular search engine and asks why web surfers have come to rely so heavily on the curiously-named phenomenon
XBRL: increasing the power of financial reporting
Accountants aren't widely thought of as pioneers, especially when it comes to technology, but with the development of XBRL, Lesley Meall believes that maybe they should be
Don't use numbers
The push for greater transparency and reduced risk is increasing corporate dependence on performance measurement and management tools. But how meaningful is the information they provide? As Lesley Meall finds, the devil is in the detail
Change: the only constant
It's been said that only two things in life are certain: death and taxes. But Lesley Meall suggests we add change to that list, particularly when it comes to technology

Monopoly money
Later this year, Microsoft will launch a version of Office that includes accounting software. Lesley Meall considers the implications for the world's suppliers of small business accounting applications
Peak performance
With the sale of IBM's PC manufacturing business to Lenovo Group last year, competition in the PC market is likely to hot up. But will the threat from China topple Dell's position as market leader? Richard Brass reports
The blogging revolution
Blogging has been described as an even more revolutionary medium than the internet. Richard Brass explores the popular concept, discovering how corporates intend to make blogs work for them

Train your brain
Richard Brass reports on the business of mind games
Letter from... Malaysia
Majella Gomes reports on how far Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor has come over the past 10 years
Generation X
Almost a decade after the American CPA Charles Hoffman came up with the idea that led to XBRL, uptake remains muted. Lesley Meall finds out why

Second Life ledgers
Should second life have its own tax authorities? Richard Young investigates
Payroll perspectives
The growing complexity of payroll may be bad news for business, but it could be very good news for accountants, says Lesley Meall
Rules of engagement
Even the smallest business needs a policy to govern internet use and misuse, says Lesley Meall
A budding high-tech hub?
Now that Intel is setting up operations in Ho Chi Minh City, can Vietnam establish itself as the centre of a new high-tech business boom? Amy Kazmin reports
Technical update
The latest international technical news
The health connection
Colin Forsyth considers the many challenges involved in introducing electronic communication systems to improve the quality of patient care in Europe