(By Info-Tech Analyst George Goodall – Reprinted with permission from Processor magazine www.processor.com).
This technology-driven myth still haunts headlines and marketing brochures. Paper isn't going anywhere. It's a fundamental part of all modern enterprises, and no new application or appliance will replace it – despite promises from companies such as Microsoft and EMC. The trick for managers is to separate the corporate and personal functions of paper and to manage them separately.
The Specter Of The Economy
I write about high technology: clean, efficient, gleaming. Imagine my surprise when I found inspiration in a press release from the world of forestry, possibly the oldest and dirtiest industry imaginable. Two of the largest forestry companies in the world – Weyerhaeuser and Domtar – are merging their fine paper divisions. Senior executives cite important considerations such as market scale and international competition as a justification. Surprisingly, they also note a drop in demand for paper due to Internet and office productivity technology.