27 November 2002, Friends of NetGroup Edition 109 [formerly NetGroup News]

What’s in the Latest Digibiz™News

Download a copy of Digibiz™ News (.pdf)

* New name for NetGroup
* See what’s new on Knexus
*
National Grid Transco Group Website Launched
*
22 January 2003 – NetGroup Member Summit
   AVIVA: Developing Communities to Drive
   Economic Value

*
5 February 2003 – NetGroup Elevator
   BAT: How Do You Turn Strategy into Action?
*
19 February 2003 – NetGroup Member Summit
   HONDA: New customer relationship strategy –
   artificial intelligence tool drives improvements
*
NetGroup Events Schedule 2003 (download .pdf)
*
Web events – are they for you?
*
Business books worth reading
*
Business Mobility Forum Case Studies?
*
Share the Knowledge
*
Tell your colleagues about NetGroup
*
What do you think of Digibiz™ News?

New name for NetGroup
We’re changing with the times… and that includes a new name.

As of January 1st 2003 – NetGroup will become Knexus (ker-nex-us).

After four years, we’re proud that our customers appreciate the value of our digital business community, which provides an exclusive club focused on the business impact of new technology. However, for those outside of our community, NetGroup is frequently mistaken for a technology forum.

We believe our new name better represents the energy and creativity of our community, and will help us grow and deliver more value to our customers. Please watch this space for more details…

See what’s new on Knexus
Visit our new website at: www.knexusgroup.com
 

As a Corporate member of NetGroup, you have full access to the site. Your personalised Username & Password for access has been emailed to you

National Grid Transco Group Website Launched
Following the recent merger of NetGroup member National Grid Group plc and Lattice Group plc, a new corporate website was launched in October.

A special article was written for our members by Chris Mostyn, New Media Manager, National Grid Transco Group (a NetGroup Member)

Forthcoming Events

  22 January 2003 – NetGroup Member Summit
Register now (members only – by invitation)
Aviva plc – Developing Communities to Drive Economic Value


  Jos Gielen, Aviva’s (formerly CGNU) Director of Best Practices, will provide a privileged insight into how he and his team have taken a lead in developing communities to encourage knowledge sharing & collaborative working across Aviva’s global business. The case study addresses the business case for creating communities, key challenges encountered, lessons learnt, successes and future plans.

Following the case study, there will be a roundtable discussion, with members engaging in a frank exchange of experience, ideas and concerns – all in a carefully controlled environment, behind closed doors.

The Summit’s objectives are to provide cross-industry insight, learning and ideas around how to harness the potential business benefits of communities.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This event is likely to be of particular interest to:

* senior Knowledge Management professionals, driving
   collaborative working across an organisation

* anyone leading a strategically focused, community initiative

* senior marketing professionals who understand
   the potential power of community to enhance their customer
   relationships

5 February 2003 – NetGroup Elevator 
Register now (members only – by invitation)

BAT – How Do You Turn Strategy into Action?


Due to London’s travel disruption caused by the firefighters strike, this event has been rescheduled for 5 February 2003.


If turning business strategy into action is a focus for you, please join us and share your experience and ideas.

For your interest, we have confirmed attendees from the following companies:

British Library, BT, Cadbury Schweppes, Diageo, Direct Line, Marsh, Nestle UK, Shell, Sony, Standard Chartered Bank and more…


Host & case study from BAT plc


REGISTER>>
For the new date of 5 February 2003  

19 February 2003 – NetGroup Member Summit
Register now (members only – by invitation)
Honda’s new customer relationship strategy – artificial intelligence tool drives improvements

 
Honda’s Marketing Director Simon Thompson promises us a fascinating insight into Honda’s new branding and customer relationship strategy, including how Honda is using ‘Talking ASIMO’ (Honda’s new artificial intelligence tool) to improve their customer relationships.

The full agenda for this event will be available in December, but register now if you want to be sure of a place.
Download our Forthcoming Event Schedule
We have an exciting agenda of member events planned for Q1 & Q2 2003. If you want to keep an eye-open for must-attend community gatherings or register early to get important events into your diary, simply click on the event schedule link.
Web Events – would you like them?
NetGroup is considering using WebEvents for those unable to attend our events. This will enable us to present visual presentations via the Internet and also provide audio input to events.

Please let us know if this is of interest to you?

Business books worth reading
Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance?
by Louis V. Gerstner Jr.

One of the great success stories of recent U.S. corporate history, with lots of insights and learning for NetGroup members.

AMAZON REVIEW:

When Lou Gerstner took over as CEO of IBM in 1993, it was losing $16 billion a year and seemed headed toward almost certain extinction. How Gerstner managed the company’s remarkable turnaround is well-told in his new book, Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance?

In 1990, IBM had its most profitable year ever. By 1993, the computer industry had changed so rapidly the company was on its way to losing $16 billion and IBM was on a watch list for extinction — victimized by its own lumbering size, an insular corporate culture, and the PC era IBM had itself helped invent.

Then Lou Gerstner was brought in to run IBM. Almost everyone watching the rapid demise of this American icon presumed Gerstner had joined IBM to preside over its continued dissolution into a confederation of autonomous business units. This strategy, well underway when he arrived, would have effectively eliminated the corporation that had invented many of the industry’s most important technologies.

Instead, Gerstner took hold of the company and demanded the managers work together to re-establish IBM’s mission as a customer-focused provider of computing solutions. Moving ahead of his critics, Gerstner made the hold decision to keep the company together, slash prices on his core product to keep the company competitive, and almost defiantly announced, “The last thing IBM needs right now is a vision.”

Business Mobility Forum Case Studies?
In April 2003, we’re holding our next Business Mobility Forum (formerly Mobile User Forum) to address members key mobility business issues. We already have two interesting case studies for this event, but are looking for further member participation. If you have a mobility initiative where you could benefit from input and feedback from other members, please let us know.
Share the Knowledge
Are there any Best Practices, Case Studies or other digital business related material, which you have created and would be willing to share with other members?

This information will be made available to subscribing corporate members only on our secure, password protected area of the website.
Want to tell your colleagues about NetGroup
NetGroup is the UK’s premier corporate digital business community.

Our Members are senior executives from leading UK, European & US companies who are tasked with developing digital business for their organisations.

The community’s function is to facilitate idea creation, knowledge sharing, benchmarking and networking in an innovative, action-oriented environment.

There is now a simple information pack available on NetGroup, its activities and benefits of membership. Please feel free to download this and send it to a colleague or associate.
What do you think of Digibiz™ News?
We’ve listened to our members and have now changed the Digibiz News format so that you get a summary via email & an opportunity to view the complete newsletter online.

If you’ve got feedback or further comments on Digibiz™ News, please let us know.

Confidentiality – Digibiz™ News is distributed in two versions – ‘NetGroup corporate members’ and ‘Friends of NetGroup’. The corporate members version is distributed only to paid members of the NetGroup community, all of whom have met strict criteria for membership. Any information that is confidential to the community appears only in the member’s version.
© 2003 Knexus Limited – All rights reserved.
NetGroup contact details: t. +44 (0) 20 76 314151 e. [email protected]