Fig. 7.1.9 A historical perspective.

The corporate computing environment has arrived where it is at today as a result of many
advances. In almost every case, the advances are built on top of each other.

Corporate Computing Today

The world of corporations and technology today is a world in transition. Once, the IT
department did everything imaginable that dealt with technology. Today, technology is to
be found everywhere—in the hands of end user, in the hands of customers, on
management's desk, and elsewhere. Much of computing is migrating to the cloud, where
professional technology managers store and process data. The classic IT function has
been relegated to a caretaker function, looking after older operational systems.
Leadership in new and innovative uses of technology is directly in the hands of the end
user.

Chapter 7.1: The Operational Environment: A Short History