Paying for the baggage

If you don't travel frequently, you probably missed the news that United Airlines is now charging $25 for checking a second bag, and $100 for a third. The reason given for the fee is the cost of fuel, which is the single greatest expense that the airline faces. I travel a fair amount, and I can't say that I am surprised by the move, nor am I put off by it. The business, like people, must adapt to changing environments in order to survive. This is evolution 101.

Interestingly, this is true of today's enterprises as well. The environment (quite literally) is changing and organizations must adapt in order to survive. Evolution or extinction - two sides of the same coin, really.

The signs of adaptation are all around us: virtualization, data center automation, service-oriented infrastructures and architectures, and green IT - all responses to the economic and environmental costs of doing business. However, adapting to one's environment, and using that adaptation effectively are two different things entirely - just ask the Neanderthals.

Organizations are either going to have to get smart about how resources are allocated and utilized, or they are going to have to start paying for their baggage too.