The tactical approach should not be the goal. The problem with implementing ad hoc solutions to address individual regulations is that they don't fully utilize -- or gain insight from -- company information on-demand. And while such an approach may be cheaper in the short run, it can be much more costly in the end because modern information technology can alert IT and business decision makers to threats and opportunities before they would otherwise be on broader corporate radar screens. Furthermore, companies that take a short-sighted approach will only have to spend yet again to address new regulations when they are passed.

By contrast, the strategic approach implements a technology framework that provides common value to all business solutions, including risk and compliance. The goal is to provide businesses with access to critical information in real time, bridge disparate teams through collaboration tools and seamless workflow and enable the viewing of vital corporate data on a single dashboard. All to improve time to deliver, time to value and reduced total cost of ownership.

Such a framework helps companies improve employee productivity by establishing a common user experience, maximize security and control, shorten business cycles, and improve customer satisfaction.

The goal of the infrastructure is to help companies adopt best-practice standards to transform their business operations. The software should help increase business efficiencies so companies can gain deeper insight and predictability on the status of their compliance and business efforts, and help address the information requirements of regulations affecting their businesses.

Companies are well-aware of their new responsibilities and many view them with trepidation. But there are silver linings to these clouds. The new requirements are coming into play precisely at the time at which information technology has the tools go beyond simple compliance and make businesses more agile and responsive. Those companies who recognize this opportunity -- who see the silver lining while others see only the cloud -- will profit from their vision. This particular silver lining is tinged with green.

Larry Bowden has over 20 years of experience in IBM helping customers exploit the opportunities provided by information technologies. He currently is Vice President, Portal and Lotus Products, Software Group, where he reports to Ambuj Goyal , General Manager, Lotus. He is responsible for the definition and execution of the human collaboration element of IBM's on demand for e-business strategy. He leads marketing for all Lotus products and Workplace offerings, and also the WebSphere Portal product line where he is responsible for IBM's portal strategy, marketing, partnerships, industry offerings and services.