All articles by Lawrence M. Fisher

Once the deal is done, the hard work begins of integrating people, processes and systems, on a global basis.

The secret to excellence lies in doing many things well. It also requires staying focused on the goal even when tempted to do otherwise.

How does a fledgling company become an industry powerhouse? By managing itself professionally and betting on the right products. The case of Biogen shows how it can be done.

Few technologies have been so rapidly accepted as intranets. Effective at lowering costs and improving communications internally, they are playing key roles in customer support too. But they are also presenting fresh challenges, including how to apply the right amount of control to what is inherently a decentralized operation.

Databases have long helped managers operate their businesses. Now, more companies are using a special kind for analytical tasks. The payoff can be enormous: everything from transformed business models and stronger customer relationships to new sources of revenue.

How does a company turn its reseller channel into a source of competitive advantage? It requires balancing the objectives of its resellers with its own.

New software programs are now available that act as "smart filters" on the information superhighway. They can sort through mountains of data and find answers to specific questions. And they can learn. Their promise is to make the "horizontal" organization even flatter.

As the economics of R&D evolve, the Salk and other private research institutes become increasingly crucial to health care’s changing value chain.

Vicar and visionary, modern management’s most eminent philosopher says it takes a village to build a company.