Special Report: ROI Table of Contents The ripple effect This special report addresses the critical business function of ROI. Wellspring of business value Effective ROI begins with a single catalyst. The value cascade Making ROI dynamic—and keeping it that way. A metric's journey In search of an enterprise-wide view of ROI. Best practices in ROI Real companies. Real ROI. Real impact. Business Corner Additional ROI articles available. Know a great story about ROI? We want to hear from you. We'll publish some of the most interesting anecdotes in 2006. E-mail your ROI stories.

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The ripple effect

by Keith Ferrell

Big or small, changes in business structures and processes make an impact on a company. Not convinced? Consider a calm pond. A single drop of water hits the center and soon the pond is covered with the concentric circles left by one drop impacting many, many others.

One drop may not seem like much. But when its effects are multiplied, it can make all the difference in the world. It's the same with your business. Small actions—even a simple change in perspective or measurement techniques—can revive languishing areas of a business and offer new opportunities for growth.

But how to discover which actions will have the greatest effect? How can a business determine which droplets will lead to business benefit and which will just dry up? The answer is ROI—determining from the outset the costs and benefits of each action your business takes. Done properly, this can turn tiny droplets into streams of possibility for your entire enterprise.T

© Teradata Magazine-Special Report November 2005