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Explores strategies to improve the business industry of Perth Amboy, former capital of the East Jersey, New Jersey. Disadvantages of sewer moratorium issued on Perth Amboy; Problems in business development within the city's urban enterprise zone; Plans of Perth Amboy authorities to conduct projects for its waterfront; Financial and funding considerations.

Reports that Agro Power Development (APD) is the top-ranking New Jersey company on the Inc. magazine's list of 500 fastest-growing privately-held companies in the United States. Michael DeGiglio's analysis of the market; Factors that led to the success of the company; Consumer's reception to the Holland's and Israel's greenhouse tomatoes offered by APD; Facilities owned by APD.

Reports that despite giving easy assess to information, the Internet creates problems of copyright or trademark violation. Legal concepts that govern the degree to which material on the Internet is protected; What World Wide Web site copying involves; Details on the use of frame technology.

Discusses the chain supply management strategies of Sterling Winthrop Inc., a pharmaceutical company based in New York. Interview with Tony Loforte, vice president of logistics; Logistics as a multidisciplinary approach; Cycle time reduction; Mapping out of current chain; Satisfying customers; Implementation of supply chain management processes; Supply modules and cells; Program continuity.

The article reports on the decision of the U.S. Navy to cut its overall procurement plans from 11 ships to 7 due to the continuing problems within the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme. The Navy's $149.3 billion budget request will allow the construction of 2 LCS units in fiscal year (FY) 2009 instead of 6 that had been expected.

The article reports that the fiscal 2008 budget was a top concern for U.S. Army officials as they discuss their budget request for fiscal year 2009. This is because Congress has yet to approve the $102 billion in supplemental funding the Army requested for 2008 to continue operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army's 2009 budget request will give priority to personnel issues.

The article reports that the U.S. Navy's budget request for the fiscal year 2009 reflects a slimmed-down vision of the fleet while providing an expected boost to submarines. The Navy request budget for only seven ships instead of the 11 originally expected. It also requested $2.1 billion for a Virginia-class submarine and $1.3 billion in advance funding for future submarine components.

This article discusses the U.S. Army CIO/G-6 Campaign Plan for 2008 to 2015, released in October 2007. The plan describes a transformation in which the office of the chief information officer (CIO) will evolve from a functional organization to a process-based organization and finally to a service-based organization. The plan sets objectives for achieving integrated network capabilities and improving cybersecurity. Comments regarding the issue from Major General Bill Gerety, the Army's chief integration officer, are given. INSET: CHANGES STILL ON DRAWING BOARD..

The article reports that U.S. lawmakers are considering restrictions on the amount of software development the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) can send to international developers. The Defense Science Board is directed to study DOD policies for maximizing the use of commercial information technology (IT). A report from the board states that the U.S. military increasingly relies on software developed in China, India and Russia, and concludes that offshoring presents an opportunity to attack systems. According to J. R. Reagan of BearingPoint, the risks identified by the board are more acute in an era of network-centric operations.

The article offers information on an enterprise architecture document (EA) released by the U.S. Navy in October 2007. The enterprise architecture, which introduces the concepts of architecture federation and management view, seeks to help decision-makers position technology initiatives within the context of the Global Information Grid (GIG). It presents a federated approach to architecture, following the lead of a Defense Department document. The management view's approach involves cataloging departmental architecture development.

The article reports on the statement of U.S. Defense Department officials that their message to the defense industry about network-centricity is not getting through, or maybe they have not articulated the message with sufficient clarity. According to Tony Montemarano, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency's Information Assurance/Network Operations Program Executive Office, vendors continue to offer DISA traditional solutions, despite the agency's efforts to explain its net-centric requirements.

The article reports on the decision of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to expand its Young Faculty Award (YFA) program because it has generated promising research ideas. The YFA aims to encourage nontenured university faculty members to participate in DARPA initiatives and jump-start research efforts that could later be included in formal DARPA programs. Proposals are being sought by DARPA from young faculty members for the second part of the program, which will include research on technologies used in military training exercises.

The article reports on the U.S. Army Office of the Chief Information Officer's (CIO) 500-day plan. The plan seeks to build on its predecessor by continuing the development of the LandWarNet technologies. The plan also documents the intentions of the office of the CIO to institutionalize LandWarNet throughout the Army. The Army also intends to incorporate elements of LandWarNet in battle command systems, the Future Combat systems and in other systems as they progress through planning, programming and budgeting, among others.

The article reports on the move of the U.S. Defense Department's (DOD) Business Transformation Agency to select the Enterprise Risk Assessment Methodology (ERAM). They selected the ERAM, which it derived from a commercial risk-management approach that uses cross-functional teams to interview key program employees. The main purpose of ERAM is to find out why DOD projects are not meeting expectations and what is preventing them from realizing capabilities. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has recommended that DOD should improve its management of information systems by evaluating risk across a portfolio of capabilities.

The article deals with a dispute between the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Defense Department inspector general (IG) regarding an audit report on small businesses under the Network-Centric Solutions (NetCents) contract. According to the IG, the Air Force selected an inappropriate industry code for the contract. Based on the industry code for computer systems design and related services, firms are not allowed to have annual revenues for more than $23 million. The IG report cited Centech Group, Multimax, NCI and Telos as companies with revenues of $40 million to $171 million a year.

The article reports that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is using Web 2.0 tools to facilitate faster and better collaboration among its analysts. According to Lewis Shepherd, chief of DIA's requirements and research group and senior technical officer, the goal is to improve the ability of DIA's Directorate for Information Management and its chief information officer (CIO) to provide information needed by the analysts and warfighters. Brenda Smith, DIA's knowledge management division chief, says the agency is considering wiki technologies to apply its business processes to them.

The article reports on the proliferation of communities of interest (COI) in the U.S. COI were created in order to improve information sharing at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). According to DOD officials, having too many COI may result in competing standards. DOD Office of the Chief Information Officer Information Management Director Michael Krieger states that they still do not know the appropriate number of COI but some of them with sufficient commonality have consolidated. Krieger asserts that the problem of DOD in achieving data interoperability is cultural not technical.

The article reports that information assurance failures in the U.S. Air Force's Network Centric Solutions (NetCents) procurement program could allow foreign governments to access classified information from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). According to DOD's inspector general (IG), information assurance problems resulted from the omission of five required clauses from the NetCents contracts. The IG has also concluded that NetCents contractors could also fail to support defense systems during contingency operations and compromise physical security of federally controlled facilities and information.

The article reports that the United States Air Force has launched a software acquisition and development program to increase efficiency and decrease life cycle costs by reusing various application's components. According to Charles Riechers, the Air Force principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition, the program's strategy is to promote the use of open standards, open-data interfaces and best-of-breed open-source software. He adds that he would like a software development process that is controlled, traceable and auditable with standard management processes.

The article reports on the difficulty experienced by the U.S. Defense Department concerning data sharing. According to multi agency Cross-Domain Semantic Interoperability Working Group, the data strategy implemented by the administrative agency, is necessary to achieve broad interoperability. However, the company argues that the agency's strategy to establish communities of interest that will develop standard data models is problematic because it will lead to a proliferation of competition among them.

The article reports that the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) will advocate changes in the policy guidelines for complying with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) issued by the Office of Management & Budget (OMB). According to Greg Wilshusen of GAO, the agency is closely reviewing the performance measures that OMB uses to ensure that agencies are implementing proper security controls. The review follows criticisms of FISMA for failing to improve the security of government security systems. A report by GAO in 2005 emphasized the advantages of a risk-based approach to government information security.

The article reports on the plan by the U.S. Army's Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to achieve a higher level of integration across the service. Army deputy CIO Vern Bettencourt said the plan will seek to institutionalize LandWarNet, the Army's strategy for achieving networked combat operations and decentralized command and control, throughout the service. Bettencourt said LandWarNet will become a focus of the service's training and education efforts. He likewise pointed out that electronic learning programs such as the Army Knowledge Online will be among the Army's key venues for continued funding.

The article reports on the status of the demand for satellites by the U.S. military. According to a market survey report, the U.S. military will increase commercial satellite service revenues over a 10-year period. This study projected that global annual government and military purchases of commercial satellite bandwidth will surge from $1 billion in 2003 to $4.8 billion in 2012. Much of the projected revenue growth will be attributed to the needs of the Department of Defense.

Reports on the challenges faced by Janet Wejman, chief information officer of Continental Airlines Inc., in the outsourcing of the company's information technology. Strategy adapted by Wejman to correct the outsourcing practice of the company; Reaction of outsourcing researcher Rudy Hirschheim to the strategy adapted by Wejman; Key questions to consider in the development of sourcing strategies that combine both insourcing and outsourcing.

Interviews Joseph D. Sargent, chief executive officer of Guardian Life Insurance Co. Internet strategies of the company; Ways to provide exceptional service; Purpose of acquisitions by the company; Reorganization benefits.

Focuses on the efforts of Kjell Almskog, chief executive officer of The Kvaerner Group, to solve the debt accumulated by the company during a process of acquisition and diversification. Renegotiation of the London, England-based company's debt; Improvement of its core oil and gas business; Divestiture of Kvaerner's ship-building enterprises.

Focuses on the transformation of Bowne & Co. from a financial printer into a multi-faceted provider of information management solutions under its chairman and chief executive officer Bob Johnson. Update on the company's stocks; Problems in the diversification of the company; Investments in digital printing.

Focuses on the report of Forrester Research on the earnings generated by Internet retailers from the packages they ship. Impact of shipping costs on the profits of Internet retailers; Percentage of revenues attributed to online sales according to Stacie McCullough who prepared the report; Logistics model recommended by Forrester Research to Internet retailers.

Profiles Steve P. Kaufman, chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Arrow Electronics Inc., a supplier of value-added and supply-chain services. Career highlights; Background information on Arrow Electronics; Kaufman's strategy for distinguishing Arrow as a retailer; Kaufman's accomplishments.

Looks at the factors affecting the future of New Jersey's residential real estate market. Price spectrum of residential building, according to Patrick O'Keefe of New Jersey Builders Association; Trends in the industry.

Focuses on the legal profession in New Jersey. Change in the profession from 1988 to 1998; Relationship between the public and the legal profession; Characteristics of lawyers; Women practicing law in the state; Information on the Commission on Professionalism.

Looks at the introduction of the Hygiene Guard system by Red Bank-based Net/Tech International, which allows workplace supervisors to monitor the activities of employees in the bathroom. Criticism of the system by employee-rights advocates; Reason for the criticism; Arguments for against the system.

Looks at the design the waterfront area in Camden, New Jersey. Efforts of the Cooper's Ferry Redevelopment Association to design the waterfront; Economic conditions in Camden.

Reports on the litigation between the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and Sabatini's Restaurant in Atlantic City. CRDA's condemnation of the restaurant's property to make room for an expansion of Trump's Taj Mahal Casino Resort; Sabatini's rejection of Donald Trump's settlement offer; Legal stake in the case that CRDA may have; Details on cartoons depicting the battle.

Focuses on Molecu Wire's survival of a labor strike. Producer of specialty wiring products to the electronics industry; Company losses; Problems with responsiveness to customers; Large operation costs due to overtime; Introduction of continuous operations; Elimination of production delays; Discussion of alternative methods of continuous operation; Rejection of contracts for continuous operations by employees.

Discusses the risk of having nine-digit social security numbers (SSN). Prevalence of identity theft in the U.S. between July 2002 and June 2003; Statement issued by Jim Hurley, an analyst at Aberdeen Group Inc.; Elimination of SSN as digital identity credentials.

Focuses on how to improve supply chains that will yield bigger return on investment (ROI) to information technology (IT) companies. Savings realized by Hewlett-Packard Co. in its supply chain after merging with Compaq Computer Corp; Explanation that not all supply chain problems need drastic change to gain bigger ROI; Catalyst required for change.

Offers tips to information technology professionals on computer software selection. Description of best-of-breed vendors; Analysis on the closing gap between best-of-breed and integrated suppliers; Reminders to customers about choosing single-source systems.

Focuses on the advantages of supply chain event management (SCEM) software (SCEM). Emphasis of SCEM on supply chain automation; Increase in production; Application of SCEM in logistics and transportation management.

Discusses real options reasoning and its application to information technology (IT) investments. Definition of real method reasoning; Characteristics of real options strategy; Advantages of using this approach.

Discusses the reasons and the remedies for business alliance failures. Factors that lead to the failure of alliances; Story of two alliances managed by Vaughn Hovey, senior vice president for enterprise computing at Bank One Corp.; Inspiration of executive Gene Slowinski in figuring out what makes alliances work.

Focuses on the lawsuits faced by vendors and information technology (IT) companies. Factors which drive the surge of IT litigations; How to avoid conflict with third-party application development or outsourcing contracts.

This article presents an interview with Jeffrey Stanton, assistant professor of industrial and organizational psychology at Syracuse University. When asked about the similarities among information technology (IT) professionals, he says that IT people use common modes of communication and express common ethnocentricity. Research also suggested that failures of communication between IT people and the administration contributed to the problems with change due to technology. He discusses the details of his study on IT subcultures, as well as the connection between an IT subculture and the success or failure of technology implementations.

Focuses on the impact of economic downturn on the sales of electronic business software. Net loss incurred by the pioneer supply chain management vendor i2; Sales of the supply chain management software of SAP; Efforts of Manugistics to maximize software sales.

Offers information on a methodology developed by information technology (IT) management professor Jerry Luftman, that enables companies to self-assess the maturity of their business/IT strategic alignments. Opposing views on Luftman's insights; Applications of the methodology; Characteristics of effective IT leaders.

Interviews Bill Donovan, chief information officer at CSX Lines LLC and Bruce Blitch, chief information officer at Tessenderlo Kerley Inc. on how they will handle information technology (IT) legal battle. Steps to be taken by a chief information officer if a hacker gained access to sensitive customer data.