Which is why I'd like to draw your attention to a number of new surveys LISA is launching, all of them designed to deliver rich snapshots of the global state of play in the use of Translation memory technology, Multilingual Content Authoring and the Impact of Globalization/Localization technologies on e-business. We all know that technology is mainstream to our value proposition today, not some optional nice-to-have that only a few can afford. And as in any maturing sector, helping vendors and buyers see more clearly how supply and demand interact within a technology offering is vital to a business community where shared standards will be vital to growth. Here then is a golden opportunity to make a useful contribution to the development of efficient technology systems that deliver the value you need to drive business forward. I strongly urge you to participate.

First and foremost, Translation Memory users can help clarify our joint understanding of the ROI on this fundamental technology by completing the survey now online at http://www.lisa.org/interact/2002/tmsurvey.html. We shall naturally be publishing the results in a future newsletter as well as on the LISA website and at relevant events.

Second, an industry survey of Multilingual Content Authoring will help educate the intentional business community as to the costs, markets and challenges involved in all aspects of digital content creation. Driven by OSCAR and leads by SAP, LISA's group for 'Open Standards for Container/Content Allowing Re-use', the survey's results will be presented at the LISA Forum Europe 2002 in Heidelberg in November.

Finally, LISA will be running a survey on how Globalization and Localization technologies impact e-business in general, with the aim of gaining a more fine-tuned understanding of how multilingual content management operates within the web's transaction universe. Watch the website for further details.

To get you into survey mode, this issue of the Globalization Insider offers an insight into how individual enterprises go about working on some of these vital GILT processes. Denise Spacinsky reports on the lessons she learnt in recently implementing a Content Management System at Hewlett Packard, providing a useful guide to anyone planning to technologize their multilingual content with localization in view. Ian Harris provides a succinct overview of how a service vendor workflowed his translation supply to meet the demanding needs of a financial information client within a standards-driven environment. And to remind us of the big picture - that the GILT business is first and foremost all about business - Rose Lockwood gives us a powerful review of Don De Palma's recent book Business Without Borders. Just the reading matter you need to get back into the swim of things after too many hours round the pool - or under an umbrella!