Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 2000)
.. .www.\obpostings.r\e\ brain person," says Reese. Favorite part of the job: "The breadth of responsibilities and the challenge to find ways to better coordinate resources." Toughest aspect of the job: "The time com mitment; it's an all-consuming business." Salary: $125,000-$ 150,000 8. Meta mediary CEO The Web makes room for a new third party in a shopping transaction. A metamediary sits between buyers and sellers, offering a central ized, unbiased source of information and resources related to a specific task, such as buy ing a home or car (see "Making New Markets," May '99). From this one point, customers can educate themselves on the topic, research options and prices, and when ready, jump direct ly to related vendors in the marketplace. For example, Edmund Publications, an automobile metamediary, offers pricing information, com parisons, and reviews of new and used cars. Buyers can also go directly to car dealers, insur ance companies, financing and warranty providers, and even spare-parts dealers. "We're me umy vvcumic nidi eumcb at the automotive market strictly from the consumer's point of view," says Edmund's CEO Peter Steinlauf. "Maintaining the consumer's trust is paramount." Steinlauf is constantly working on initiatives to enhance the site's content and features, and find ing strategic partnerships with other consumer-ori ented sites. To maintain Edmund's reputation for neutrality, Steinlauf has no direct role in develop ing or editing the site's editorial content. That task is handled by the editor in chief. Evolution: Metamediaries developed in reac tion to one of the Web's drawbacks: With so many information resources available online, it's diffi cult for consumers to use it all efficiently. Steinlauf launched the Edmund’s Website in 1994 with basic content from the company's traditional car buyers' guides. But he rapidly expanded the offerings with help from reader requests for additional resources and features. Skills needed: A metamediary CEO must have the negotiating skills and business acumen to strike deals with content and distribution partners. The CEO must also have product development and marketing skills to help conceive new features and services for the Website. Favorite aspect of the job: "Being on the cut ting edge of different programs." Toughest aspect of the job: "Having to stay on top of changes in technology." Salary: $250,000 9. Chief Knowledge Officer The CKO is responsible for building and managing a com pany's internal knowledge management efforts—a sys tem that organizes vital infor mation from documents, data bases, and people in a reusable and searchable body of institutional knowledge. Chris Newell, the CKO for Internet business consulting firm Viant, says the first task is to extend the neces sary technology infrastructure, including appli cations that capture, categorize, and retrieve infor mation entered by employees or stored in com pany databases. The CKO must continually work on new applications to add functionality, scala bility, and efficiency to that system. For example, Newell plans to enhance Viant’s knowledge man agement systems with better search capabilities and collaboration applications that would allow project teams to share data online. The CKO's additional responsibilities are educational and strategic. Newell must teach Viant’s employees what resources are available and how to use the system. The goal is to create an online collection of information such as for mer project proposals, task methodologies, best practices, meeting transcripts, and documenta tion of employees' project experiences that may be useful in additional projects or in ongoing employee training. He also works closely with the CEO and the heads of IT and HR to align knowledge management with the company's overall strategy. "A knowledge manager brings the company's technological and anthropologi cal pieces together. It's a multidisciplinary prob lem." says Newell. Evolution: Increased globalization and accel erated business cycles strain a company's ability to connect the right people and information for cer tain projects. But effective knowledge manage ment was difficult until the development of Internet technologies, especially searching and collabora tive technologies. Skills needed: Although a CKO needs strong technical skills to handle the technical infrastruc ture, Newell says a deep understanding of how individuals really work together is crucial. Favorite part of the job: "It’s exciting to cre ate the central nervous system of a company that will bring multiple disciplines together in a way they haven't been before." Toughest aspect of the job: "Whatever you build is going to work for some people and not for others. You're not able to make everybody happy." Salary: $100,000-$500,000 10. Chief Internet Officer The embodiment of a compa ny's commitment to the Web, a CIO oversees all online strate gy and operations. Brooks Fisher, vice president and gen eral manager of community and marketspaces at Intuit, was picked by CEO Bill Harris to transform Intuit from a packaged software vendor to a top online personal-finance business. Fisher brought in a new editorial staff and Web technology experts, while imparting the firm's Web strategy and direction to Intuit's existing employ ees. He also created a revenue model and made cru cial early decisions, such as avoiding offline mar keting in favor of online marketing and distribution deals. Today, he runs Intuit's three consumer online businesses, Quicken.com. Quicken Mortgage, and Quicken Insure Market. "You just don't kick back and watch the business grow," says Fisher. "You've got to make big calls every week on important investments, staffing decisions, marketing dollars, and distribution." And he's got to keep the finances in line with Wall Street’s expectations. Evolution: Traditional businesses like Intuit rely on dedicated Web specialists to avoid getting left behind in the New Economy. Skills needed: Leadership skills are essential to guide the entire organization. A CIO must com bine sound management practices and a funda mental understanding of the economics of busi ness with the ability to move quickly and take risks. Fisher gained most of his business experi ence in old media, managing operations for mag azines such as U.S. News and World Report. But he also spent a year at Infoseek before joining Intuit. "My experiences in operations manage ment. general management, and in the chaotic early phase of the Internet industry prepared me well for this job." Favorite part of the job: "We re just making it up as we go along. I find that really exciting." Toughest aspect of the job: "The pace of this industry, and how it affects family issues. The per sonal sacrifice is daunting." Salary: $200,000-$300,000 Sean Donahue (sdonahue@business2.comJ is a staff writer for Business 2.0 BUSINESS2.0 To subscribe to call 1 800 234 0804. Ask for the special jobpOStlDQS rate of only $12 for 26 issues!
