My analyst picks are across the board, but all highly interesting. First, look at the value of context-aware computing and think about the opposite (context-unaware computing). Which would you prefer? Then determine if you have a vendor management office that works. It's a hot topic. Then ask, "Why is everyone chasing the cloud?" Read our views on this one. Finally, are China and Nebraska in competition for globally distributed work? Read and see.  -- David McCoy, Managing VP & Gartner Fellow, Gartner Research

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Highlight

Evaluating Rural Sourcing in the U.S. as an Alternative to Offshore Outsourcing
Written by: Helen Huntley

Many U.S. enterprises are outsourcing IT services to offshore locations, while others are exploring or expanding their use of domestic rural sourcing. This tutorial will help CIOs and sourcing managers to understand and address key issues when evaluating rural outsourcing.

Featured Research
BPI Context-Aware Computing: Context Drives Next-Generation User Interfaces
Written by: Jackie Fenn

The use of contextual information from sensors and user activities is driving new types of information delivery. These include augmented reality, ambient displays and tangible interfaces.


BPI Context-Aware Computing: The Collaboration Perspective
Written by: Ken Dulaney

Collaboration is emerging as an important application area for many organizations that support associates working in many locations. Context will be an important component to reduce the workload for users who must navigate through constantly changing environments.


Sourcing Defining the Vendor Management Office
Written by: William R. Snyder, Christopher Ambrose

Vendor management is a key IT discipline that often requires coordination through a vendor management organization.


Economics of the Cloud: Business Value Assessments
Written by: Joseph Feiman, David W. Cearley

A cloud computing paradigm is better than an on-site paradigm for delivering some critical values, but it is worse for delivering others. This research quantitatively assesses relative values that cloud and on-site computing deliver, enabling intelligent decisions about balancing cloud with on-site.

Evaluating Rural Sourcing in the U.S. as an Alternative to Offshore Outsourcing
Written by: Helen Huntley

Many U.S. enterprises are outsourcing IT services to offshore locations, while others are exploring or expanding their use of domestic rural sourcing. This tutorial will help CIOs and sourcing managers to understand and address key issues when evaluating rural outsourcing.