GE Energy Provides Tool for Quantifying the Business Value of Geospatial Network Management Solutions

GE Energy announced today it has published the “ROI Handbook for geospatial network infrastructure management solutions: A structured approach to quantifying and delivering business value”. The ROI handbook is designed to help network operators make fact-based decisions about investments in network infrastructure management solutions, gain buy-in by making the right level and pace of investment, and support their business objectives based on a quantifiable return-on-investment.

Investment prioritization and justification are more relevant than ever as leaders of network operators look to quantify specific and measurable return across all IT investments. As a result, many geospatial technology advocates face significant challenges to secure funding because:

• Senior leaders expect a strong economic (quantitative) business case to support all funding/budget requests
• Historic technology investment may not have yielded tangible value that senior executives recognize
• Strategic investments are not high enough on the ‘priority stack’ compared with tactical initiatives that address short-term issues
• Network infrastructure solutions are viewed as only relevant to the Engineering Department, with a lack of awareness of the value and benefit of exploitation through all parts of the business

Recognizing these challenges and that technology innovation, competition and customer demands are driving the need to exploit network infrastructure more effectively, GE Energy has collaborated with PA Consulting Group and assembled their collective insights and experience on how to quantify the tangible business value that geospatial network infrastructure management solutions can deliver to network operators.

This handbook is relevant across the technology lifecycle including organizations:

• Yet to have an established corporate network infrastructure management platform
• Prioritizing ‘next steps’ to ensure current platforms fully deliver on their potential value
• Upgrading to the latest versions of their software solution

Tools and templates to support the ROI methodology described are available for download from GE’s Digital Energy website.

About PA Consulting Group, Inc

PA is a leading management, systems, and technology consulting firm. Established almost 65 years ago and operating worldwide from over 35 offices in more than 20 countries, PA draws on the knowledge and experience of some 2,000 staff whose skills span from the initial generation of ideas all the way through to detailed implementation.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, health care solutions and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

GE serves the energy sector by developing and deploying technology that helps make efficient use of natural resources. With nearly 85,000 global employees and 2009 revenues of $40 billion, GE Energy www.ge.com/energyis one of the world’s leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies. The businesses that comprise GE Energy—GE Power & Water, GE Energy Services and GE Oil & Gas—work together to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels.