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James Champy and co-author Michael Hammer started a revolutionwith the 1993 bestseller Reengineering the Corporation(HarperBusiness). Champy, now head of Perot Systems' consultingunit, is at it again with X-Engineering the Corporation (WarnerBusiness Books, $25.95). His work is once again aimed at businessprocesses, but this time he focuses on using information technologyto improve them.
X-engineering goes beyond setting up a Web site. Champytalks about fully integrating the cyberworld into sales,procurement, hiring, customer service, supplier relations and more.Instead of just taking product orders online, an X-engineeredcompany would have information about customer orders electronicallyflow to warehouses and assembly operations, as well as those of itssuppliers and even its suppliers' suppliers. Champy alsorecommends standardizing software and other technologies to makeprocesses from checking credit to filling out shipping forms asefficient as possible.
Of course, reengineering made similar claims, which companiesfound hard to obtain. And Champy admits X-engineering isn'tfoolproof either. But the worst news is, you have to reengineerbefore you X-engineer. So if you missed the last revolution,you'll have to go backward before you go forward.
Say What?
Are your customers price-unconscious? Are your productscruelty-free? Do you consider yourself an info-gourmet? If you knowwhat these words mean, you've probably been perusing Dictionary of the Future (Hyperion,$22.95). It's a compendium of leading-edge terms and conceptsfuturist Faith Popcorn and co-author Adam Hanft think will soon bein regular use. Some are questionable. Will we indeed useZipZones--special lines where favored customers get premium counterservice? Others seem genuinely insightful: Presenteeism, defined asthe practice of ostentatiously working long hours to avoid beinglaid off, is on the mark. It's an entertaining browse, and youmay find opportunities to expand or retarget your business.
Austin, Texas, writer Mark Henricks has covered business andtechnology for leading publications since 1981.
