Home :. Table of Contents :. Index :. Nikkei Computer September 04, 2006 Issue

Nikkei Computer

September 04 , 2006 Issue <<Contents>>

FEATURE 1 An Extravaganza Surrounds the Japanese Equivalent of the SOX Law Moves to pursue the ¥700 billion market are accelerating - Over Japan’s version of the SOX law that is going to be applied to listed companies beginning in April 2008, the biggest boom since the Y2K problem is sweeping the market. Over 150 IT vendors and consulting companies have scrambled to enter the market, which is worth some ¥700 billion. There is no shortage of rumors, such as “there is a consulting company that charges the fixed fee of ¥500 million for consulting.” This article reports how the extravaganza is affecting Japan. - There has been a tempest on the eve of the announcement of the standards for the law’s implementation - Is it true? Learn the facts about the five common beliefs. - An interview with Shinji Hatta: Chairman, the Sub-committee on Internal Control, Business Accounting Council, Financial Services Agency “The importance of IT is increasing.” - IT Control Objectives for SOX (COBIT for SOX) (2nd Edition) is useful for ensuring compliance with the Japanese version of the SOX law FEATURE 2 Techniques for Using “IT Coaches” Effectively, Which Can Be Learned from Growing Companies - Some companies are using IT to achieve remarkable results and increase sales and profits, even though they do not have in-house IT system experts. Such companies are making full use of “IT coaches” or “IT coordinators.” These companies are among the first to adopt cutting-edge technologies, and they have been successful in bringing together system development companies. This article examines the techniques for using IT coordinators effectively, based on the examples of nine leading companies.

REPORT

Inside

- Daiwa Securities introduces 10,000 thin clients

- Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance performs its PC software updating remotely from India


News & Trends

- Data centers have been affected by the large-scale blackout that occurred in Tokyo on August 14

- Mizuho Securities gears up for a court fight over gross negligence

- What is the objective of IBM, which has started aggressively acquiring software companies?

- The connection between Japan and China has been disrupted frequently due to unknown causes

- Software companies scramble to take measures that promote employment of women

- Corporate users step up their efforts to enhance their project management capabilities

- A series of products for plugging “loopholes” in database audit logs have been launched

- Mitsubishi Corporation has adopted measures to cope with frequent revisions of specifications

- Microsoft is determined to defeat Linux in the HPC (high-performance computing) market

- Vodafone has completed the final phase of its system integration project

- Microsoft is struggling with snags while developing very large-scale software


News Flash for Each Industry

- Distribution: Approximately 40% of Rakuten’s online stores are affected by system failures

- Internet: Microsoft Japan has announced that the shutdown of its website “Kotaetenet” was caused by errors in an application program

PEOPLE

Interview
Norio Ogiwara, Member, Special Committee, Business Accounting Council, Financial Services Agency (President, Mamezou Co., Ltd.)

- Compliance with the Japanese equivalent of the SOX law is helpful in moving away from the dependence on human resources


Real Feelings Expressed by Top Executives
Tatsuo Komaki, information system manager, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.

- Young employees should have enough backbone to play a leading role

CASE STUDIES

Investigation of a Noteworthy Project
Daiwa Securities Co., Ltd.

- The company conducted a thorough investigation of defects in packaged software


Absolute Solutions for Enhancing IT Strategy
Meiji Dairies Corp.

- The company has increased the speed of system development and maintenance by using small and medium-sized vendors


A Computer That Does Not Work
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

- The ministry has decided to suspend its on-line application system for passports


Novel / Cyber Lawless Area

Third Chapter: Excessive Self-Defense (4)

MANAGEMENT/TECHNOLOGY

Hints for IT Managers
- IT managers must assess their subordinates’ capabilities accurately and assign the right job to the right person


Risk Management That Brings a Project to Success
- A first step towards developing measures against risk is to establish a coherent concept of project design


A Practical Project-Management Course for Users
- One of the most important roles of a project manager is the effective management of stakeholders


IT Project Recovery Management at the Site
- The third step for recovery (1): Defining a problem using hypothesis-testing methods


IT Keywords You Should Have Known Long Ago

IC tags / Non-contact IC cards