| Oceanography > Issues > Archive > Volume 16 > Issue 4 |
2003, Oceanography 16(4):68–76, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2003.10
The Business Case for the Global Observing System
Authors | First Paragraphs | Full Article | Citation
Authors
Mary G. Altalo | Science Applications International Corporation, McLean, Virginia, USA
Philip Bogden | Gulf of Maine Observing System, Inc., Portland, Maine, USA
Charlie Colgan | University of Southern Maine, Gorham, Maine, USA
H. Lee Dantzler | National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Margaret Davidson | NOAA Coastal Services Center, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Phil Mundy | Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
First Paragraphs
Awell conceived business case is critical to the success of any enterprise. The purpose of this paper is to present considerations for establishing the business case for the global observing system. Fully developing and then "working" such a plan will provide direction and focus. It will lead naturally to the business plan components which outline the resource requirements, marketing decisions, financial projections, production demands and personnel needs. This generates a "family" of plans including technical, financial, governance and management.
A business plan should be written from three perspectives: that of the provider, the user, and the investor (private or government). Thus it can be used to prioritize issues, provide products, gain advocacy and rationalize investment. It can also be used to seek additional capital for an existing product line. In essence, the global observing systems can be thought of as technology investment that must be justified. The business case makes it relevant and focuses on the user requirements.
Critical to any business plan is the clear description of the mission, the market, and the return on investment. We are drawing upon the collective experience of the authors, all of whom have been associated with some aspect of observing systems thus, we are presenting a "case studies" approach in which valuable lessons are shown for multiple regions and multiple market segments.
Full Article
Citation
Altalo, M., P. Bogden, C. Colgan, H.L. Dantzler, M. Davidson, and P. Mundy. 2003. The business case for the global observing system. Oceanography 16(4):68–76, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2003.10.