Faithfully: Chase & Halshaw #1 Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Howard Mellowes
and Bearings could share a common IT platform and save a shed-load
of money in doing so.”
“And the savings will come from job losses, I take it?”
“Not necessarily. It depends what we decide to do. But yes,
it’s a distinct possibility.”
“OK,” replied Chase, noncommittally. He thought for a
moment. Would your team do the work to put this new system in place?”
“No. Well, my team will manage the programme, but that’s
all. The subsidiaries will do the bulk of the work themselves. Together with
their outsourcing partners, of course.”
Chase nodded.
“I don’t have a large team, Inspector,” Lewis continued. “I
have a handful of Programme Managers, including Amy, of course. I have a very
small Enterprise Architecture practice. And I have a group responsible for
establishing and monitoring compliance with technical strategy, policies and
procedures.”
Chase thought for a moment. “But don’t the subsidiaries’ IT
departments work for you?”
“Yes, Inspector. That was something I insisted on when I
joined the group.” Lewis noticed Chase’s frown and continued. “I’m responsible
for Information Technology across the group, you see. So the six IT heads all
report to me. With a dotted line into their own management structures, of
course.”
“Six? I thought you said there were seventeen subsidiaries?”
“Quite right,” smiled Lewis. “But eleven have standardised
on the Group technology portfolio and disbanded their in-house teams. Most of
the other subsidiaries are heading the same way. Portage and Bearing Straight
are the two main holdouts.”
“Why is that?” Chase asked.
“Because they’re the two specialist companies in the group.
Portage deal with livestock. But not just any livestock. Breeding animals,
racehorses, pampered pets, zoo animals, if it’s got four legs, breathes, and
needs to be moved from A to B, that’s what they do.”
“And Bearing Straight?”
“They were one of the first express delivery companies. Big
in shipments to and from Japan, airfreighted over the pole in the sixties and
seventies.”
“Hence the name?”
“Hence the name. When the US big boys got in on the act, Bearings
decided to downsize and concentrate on their most profitable niche.”
“Which was?”
“Specialist cargo. Bullion, antiques, artworks, anything
that’s unique and irreplaceable. They do a lot of work for the National Gallery
and the British Museum, for instance.”
Chase made a note.
“Trouble is, the system the other group companies use
doesn’t fit their needs.”
“Why not?”
“Because every shipment is different.”
“You mean feeding the animals?”
“Yes, though it’s not just that. Imagine the amount of
documentation you have to produce if you want to move a zoo animal,
particularly if it’s an endangered species. Or if you’re shipping an old master
around, come to that.”
“I think I understand,” frowned Chase. “But the changeover
will cost a fortune, surely. What’s wrong with the systems they already have?”
“Good question, Inspector,” smiled Lewis. “OK. Bearing’s
system dates back to their trans-polar airfreight days. It’s incredibly
sophisticated, but it’s totally over-engineered and costs a fortune to run. It
still has the code to do weight and balance calculations for their old 707
freighter aircraft, for God’s sake! BRAHMS, it’s called.”
“Why?”
“It’s an acronym. Don’t ask me what it means. Les Salter is
probably the only person left who would.”
“Who’s he?”
“He’s Bearing’s Technology Strategy Manager. He joined as a
graduate trainee, back in the seventies, and he’s been there ever since. He
wrote some of the main algorithms of BRAHMS in his programming days, too.”
“OK. What about Portage?”
“They use a package from a company called LogiSoft , who are about to be taken over by one of their
major competitors. And shut down, we suspect.”
“So where does Amy fit into
of money in doing so.”
“And the savings will come from job losses, I take it?”
“Not necessarily. It depends what we decide to do. But yes,
it’s a distinct possibility.”
“OK,” replied Chase, noncommittally. He thought for a
moment. Would your team do the work to put this new system in place?”
“No. Well, my team will manage the programme, but that’s
all. The subsidiaries will do the bulk of the work themselves. Together with
their outsourcing partners, of course.”
Chase nodded.
“I don’t have a large team, Inspector,” Lewis continued. “I
have a handful of Programme Managers, including Amy, of course. I have a very
small Enterprise Architecture practice. And I have a group responsible for
establishing and monitoring compliance with technical strategy, policies and
procedures.”
Chase thought for a moment. “But don’t the subsidiaries’ IT
departments work for you?”
“Yes, Inspector. That was something I insisted on when I
joined the group.” Lewis noticed Chase’s frown and continued. “I’m responsible
for Information Technology across the group, you see. So the six IT heads all
report to me. With a dotted line into their own management structures, of
course.”
“Six? I thought you said there were seventeen subsidiaries?”
“Quite right,” smiled Lewis. “But eleven have standardised
on the Group technology portfolio and disbanded their in-house teams. Most of
the other subsidiaries are heading the same way. Portage and Bearing Straight
are the two main holdouts.”
“Why is that?” Chase asked.
“Because they’re the two specialist companies in the group.
Portage deal with livestock. But not just any livestock. Breeding animals,
racehorses, pampered pets, zoo animals, if it’s got four legs, breathes, and
needs to be moved from A to B, that’s what they do.”
“And Bearing Straight?”
“They were one of the first express delivery companies. Big
in shipments to and from Japan, airfreighted over the pole in the sixties and
seventies.”
“Hence the name?”
“Hence the name. When the US big boys got in on the act, Bearings
decided to downsize and concentrate on their most profitable niche.”
“Which was?”
“Specialist cargo. Bullion, antiques, artworks, anything
that’s unique and irreplaceable. They do a lot of work for the National Gallery
and the British Museum, for instance.”
Chase made a note.
“Trouble is, the system the other group companies use
doesn’t fit their needs.”
“Why not?”
“Because every shipment is different.”
“You mean feeding the animals?”
“Yes, though it’s not just that. Imagine the amount of
documentation you have to produce if you want to move a zoo animal,
particularly if it’s an endangered species. Or if you’re shipping an old master
around, come to that.”
“I think I understand,” frowned Chase. “But the changeover
will cost a fortune, surely. What’s wrong with the systems they already have?”
“Good question, Inspector,” smiled Lewis. “OK. Bearing’s
system dates back to their trans-polar airfreight days. It’s incredibly
sophisticated, but it’s totally over-engineered and costs a fortune to run. It
still has the code to do weight and balance calculations for their old 707
freighter aircraft, for God’s sake! BRAHMS, it’s called.”
“Why?”
“It’s an acronym. Don’t ask me what it means. Les Salter is
probably the only person left who would.”
“Who’s he?”
“He’s Bearing’s Technology Strategy Manager. He joined as a
graduate trainee, back in the seventies, and he’s been there ever since. He
wrote some of the main algorithms of BRAHMS in his programming days, too.”
“OK. What about Portage?”
“They use a package from a company called LogiSoft , who are about to be taken over by one of their
major competitors. And shut down, we suspect.”
“So where does Amy fit into