XEROX CEO ANNE MULCAHY TELLS HIGH-TECH LEADERS THE NEW WORLD ORDER REQUIRES A NEW WORK ORDER

In a keynote address here at the ICT World Forum ­ a gathering of information, communications and technology companies ­ Mulcahy said technology alone is not enough to kick-start the global economy. 

"From 1998 through 2000, businesses spent $65 billion on technology in the U.S. alone. Where¹s the return?" Mulcahy asked.  "Technology needs to be coupled with new work ways, yet we continue to buy and sell it without making the necessary changes.  It¹s easier to write a check than it is to re-think the way you work."  

Mulcahy predicted that work transformation would be fueled by innovation and people-based services, areas where Xerox is already focusing.    

Speaking before leaders from business, government and academia, Mulcahy showcased innovative developments from Xerox research labs, announced a partnership that will take advanced document services on the road, and discussed ways to cope with information overload and promote productivity.

A recent study conducted for Xerox by MORI, one of the U.K.¹s largest independent research companies, backs up the need for better ways to work. Less than half of European directors surveyed thought information technology made their job easier.  In fact, one-third believes information technology makes work more complicated and increases stress.

"Beneath the I.T. is I.W. ­ information work, the people-based interactions of everyday office life," Mulcahy said, expanding on the importance of the human dimension of work, a theme Xerox is reinforcing as part of its own business strategy.  

"Technology has overwhelmed us with documents," she said.  "They are a hidden
and often misunderstood aspect of business cost, productivity and infrastructure."  A typical organisation spends between 5 percent and 15 percent of its annual revenue on documents, and Office Document Assessments conducted by Xerox have found that as much as 40 percent of that money can be saved. 

After Xerox analysed and optimised the flow of documents for the 350 people at its corporate headquarters, for instance, it was able to save $1 million. Results have been even more dramatic at companies such as Lloyds TSB, Dillards, Royal Bank, British Telecom and others.

"Streamlining document­intensive processes not only reduces costs, but makes people more productive," she said. 

Workers are increasingly mobile, and Xerox is developing technologies and services that will support collaboration and promote productivity in their new work space.  Mulcahy announced that Xerox¹s mobile office business software, mDoc, will be offered in Germany by O2 ­ a key wireless carrier ­ bundled with BlackBerry devices, so people on the go can easily send and modify documents from their mobile handhelds. 

Additional emerging technologies from the Xerox Research Centre Europe that will help change the way work gets done were demonstrated during Mulcahy¹s keynote. One innovation, called "DiscoveryPrint," expands on the mDoc solution, enabling a mobile phone or PDA to securely access and print full-quality documents that reside on the Internet and on corporate servers.  A second demonstration showed how new "Portable Document Camera" software can turn a digital camera into a document capture device, complete with advanced image processing and text recognition software.

Mulcahy pledged that Xerox¹s technologies, innovations and services would be used to create new value for customers so work can happen wherever and whenever people are able to access and share the information and knowledge they need.

The ICT World Forum at CeBIT gathers world leaders to focus on present and future issues facing the information and communications technology industries.  It precedes the CeBIT trade show, March 12-19, where Xerox will be exhibiting innovative office products, services and solutions in Stand 2G8.