Stories about: Virtual Communities

Although virtual environments are still at an early stage in development and adoption, many companies are already dabbling in one or more virtual worlds or closely observing them prior to getting their feet wet.

While it may seem like common sense, only a handful of the best IT operations develop and execute a marketing plan

Mass production has hit a dead end. Today's consumers increasingly expect individualized attention. CIOs can help their companies understand this shifting economic landscape

As companies seek closeness with customers and business partners, online communities move from the Web fringe to strategy central.

Take a large pot of confusion, stir in a false start or two, add a dash of underdone technology and garnish with conflicting advice from consultants. Bottled under the name electronic commerce, this witches' brew is being sold to corporate Australia as a universal restorative and pick-me-up

ASIC launches online registration system ... NSW govt plans smart card transport ticketing ... Russians skip NATO IT exercise ... New Zealand vote counting to go online ... Government e-trade framework creates level playing field ... Scuttled GST could provide IT opportunities: ACS ... Telstra's more than just phones: Switkowski ... Asia connects virtual communities for e-commerce ... Aus tax system prohibitive: Gartner ... GartnerGroup announces e-commerce findings ... Sun makes bold Y2K warranty move ... Deregulation hits harder ... Govt sets strategy to attract IT&T funding ... Despite fraud, comfort with e-commerce rises ... Y2K glitches on the rise

There's been a lot of talk over recent times about "virtual communities" and "virtual classrooms". But it's the "virtual customer" that's putting manufacturers into a spin as they try to weather the winds of change blowing them out of the post-industrial era and into a brave world of new competition.