Effective use of information helps drive innovation-and a recent study suggests that five times more value is created by organizations that use information effectively. Often, the most effective use of information is sharing it with other entities, such as other lines of business, partners, distributors and customers. In fact, today's organizations need collaboration to thrive. For example, a distributed product development process enables companies to compete more effectively by specializing in the areas where they have competitive advantages. It also helps them accelerate the speed with which they deliver a product or service to market.

The problem with collaboration is that sharing information exposes organizations to increased risks, including theft, alteration, damage and destruction. If information is too available and accessible, it can fall into the wrong hands. Isolation inhibits collaboration and hence business innovation and growth. A delicate balance must be maintained-keeping information secure from prying eyes, but making it easily available to those who can use it to enhance business performance.

This paper describes best practices for maintaining information security- while enabling innovation through business collaboration. In addition, it describes the IBM portfolio of information risk management solutions- including software, hardware and services-that help organizations create secure collaborative environments.