In the Net Economy column series, guest columnists report on how technology is changing the way we do business. How can companies use technology as a strategic weapon? What are the new business models and measures of success for companies competing in the global networked economy? Where are new markets emerging?

We hope to provide insight on all of these issues as we investigate what works and what doesn't in the Net Economy. We'll look at best practices, innovative breakthroughs, and ways that Internet technologies can be used to improve productivity and increase the bottom line. For more information on the Net Economy, please visit the Information Technology Association of America's web site.

The Measure of Wealth in the Connected Economy - March 5, 1999
Stan Davis and Chris Meyer, respectively research fellow and director at the Ernst & Young Center for Business Innovation, examine new valuation models for the Net Economy. Why does a company such as Amazon.com soar in market capitalization while its revenues are a mere blip on the screen? Because it's the company's intangibles that are being valued - its brains, its intellectual capital, and its ability to make money tomorrow, not just today.

Security: A Strategic Weapon in the Net Economy - February 26, 1999
Henry Ancona, president and CEO of BullSoft, examines security issues for global business networks. With internationalization, alliances, and mergers, organizations are mutating and evolving at high speed. The outcome: Every company needs to develop a global security policy and implement a standards-compliant security solution that's able to scale rapidly.

End-to-End Electronic Commerce - February 19, 1999
Barry Ariko, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Netscape Communications, reports on how customer relationship management and supplier relationship management solutions are transforming the way business gets done in the Net Economy.

Outsourcing Your Online Business - February 12, 1999
Michael Greenbaum, senior VP and general manager of single user markets at Netcom, looks at how web hosting is helping small and medium-sized businesses get down to business on the Net and start competing in the global economy.