From One Organization Leader to Another:

This report is the culmination of 

bending to market forces and 

a five year focus on technology

policies surrounding you or taking

and education led by the BellSouth

the lead in shaping them.  

Foundation. But the findings are

BellSouth works daily to meet the

really all about the need for organi 

sometimes conflicting demands 

zational transformation in the face

of the marketplace, shareholders

of technology's profound changes

and policymakers. Our company

to our society. 

has helped to shape the market 

BellSouth knows this story well.  

in which it operates by taking an

As we build a communications 

active role in making the communi 

company for the 21st century, we

ties it serves better places to live

continually adapt our organization

and by putting a decided focus 

and business models to the chang 

on education. A well educated 

ing environment. We view technology

populace provides a better 

not only as a tool for automation,

educated workforce, a more

but also as a driver of continuous 

engaged community and higher

innovation. For us, this is about 

income earners who in turn 

not only accepting change, but 

support business. BellSouth also

also seeking change.

works to shape the regulatory

environment surrounding our 

Being a superintendent of a school

business by educating policymakers

system is a lot like being the CEO of

and ensuring our expertise is part 

a major corporation. You face daily

of the broader discussions about

pressures from your marketplace

telecommunications and its future

(students and parents), your share 

in our society. 

holders (community) and policy 

makers (school boards, etc.), all 

As leaders of your organizations,

of whom have an interest and a

you, too, have the power to seek

bearing on how you go about your

change   to shape the education

business   education. As a leader,

marketplace and the policies 

you have a choice between simply

that govern it. To do so requires 

a different way of thinking and 

the willingness to ask some hard

questions. For example: What

underlying factors determine 

your success in the  business 

of education? What do students

want to learn? How does the 

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