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WH Smith sues Siemens


WH Smith is suing Siemens and Fujitsu Siemens Computers for £4.5 million after the abortive introduction of an SAP enterprise system. The company is alleging breach of contract and misrepresentation in the delivery of application and database servers to run software. The two suppliers are countersuing for £1 million.
Business Intelligence


The Next Common Sense
Michael Lissack et al Harvard Business School Press, £21.99 Rating: 4/5
AXA to halve IT spend


AXA Sun Life has signed a £70 million information technology outsourcing deal which aims to cut its £40 million spend by half. The FI Group will take over 400 of AXA’s staff in the five-year contract and be responsible for its legacy life and pensions administration system.
Toyota doubles output


Toyota is to more than double the number of engines produced at its Deesside plant in north Wales. Production is set to increase from 180,000 to 400,000 units by 2003. Employment is set to grow from 350 to 600 in line with the car maker’s plans to lift European sales from 542,000 to 800,000 by 2005.
The Co-operative Bank


Oracle speeding ahead


Oracle’s latest version of its applications server has been developed to run web-based Java applications up to three times faster than rival systems. The software group also says the small size of its 9i server will help small firms to implement e-business strategies.
Bridgestone pulls out


Tyre maker Bridgestone has ended its 95-year supply partnership with Ford because of the car manufacturers’ criticism of the quality of its Firestone tyres.
Systems come up short


E-procurement systems are not meeting purchasers’ expectations, according to a survey by Science Warehouse, an e-marketplace for scientific equipment. Order fulfilment accuracy, speed and responsiveness were the most important criteria for the majority of the 50 procurement directors and managers polled, but these were among the areas least satisfactorily delivered by system providers.
Wind farm review call


Developers are calling for a judicial review of the government’s £4 billion wind-farm programme, after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) persuaded the Department of Trade and Industry to stop construction of a Northumberland farm. The MoD argues the turbines could be a hazard for low-flying aircraft and radar systems at a neighbouring military complex.
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