Denny's and CSCS (in conjunction with HAVI) deployed a cloud-based Source-to-Pay (S2P) solution powered by Ivalua for all 3400 restaurants within 15 months to reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions having a major financial impact on Denny's restaurant operations. The approach of employing a phased rollout led to savings of 18%, equating to $12 million in costs for each year of the project's duration additionally, it allowed for a number of major achievements such as provision of a digital procurement framework, created over multiple older systems. There were also great efficiencies realized through the projects execution due to a 92% first-time match rate and the ability to complete procurement cycles within only 72 hours as opposed to 45 days. Technical innovations achieved included real-time connectivity with SAP/EDW, creation of custom ticketing solutions, creation of analytical reports to deliver information through multiple dashboards used for transaction monitoring. The project established the benefits delivered through the phased approach to deployment, reduced risk to an organization due to implementation decisions and demonstrated the importance of AI-ready cloud architecture for rapid procurement agility. Movement forward will continue by incorporating blockchain, Internet of Things monitoring and generative AI will further expand and enhance savings and position Denny's / CSCS as a leader in digitalizing food service procurement.

For large enterprises, managing multiple file repositories across the company can lead to confusion, difficulty in maintaining accurate files, and time-consuming auditing processes. As such, FMS will transform the unorganized storage environment into a centralized control plane capable of supporting scalability and an API-first method of doing business. FMS will develop a Federated Governance Framework to provide a balanced approach to how each domain operates autonomously, while at the same time meeting the corporate requirements and guidelines. The system is built with Open-lineage capability which allows users to track file lineage and provide audit proof through robust events through audit trails. The storage layer is built with a pluggable abstraction that reduces TCO for companies’ use of multiple backend storage providers. There is a policy-specific language to manage legal hold and retention policies. The FMS system has realized significant ROI, including $33 million in the first year, a fast payback, and high performance while meeting compliance requirements across multiple storage backends. FMS will develop future versions of the product with capabilities such as blockchain technology for providing proof of deletion, artificial intelligence (AI) for automated tiering of data, and quantum-safe cryptography. Consequently, FMS enables organizations within regulated industries, like Financial Services and Healthcare, to position themselves as thought leaders and innovators of governance, thereby providing a competitive advantage and a solution to a $100 million-per-year governance crisis.

The legal and ethical aspects of software reverse engineering discussed in this paper are in the context of security research. Reverse engineering is now essential to vulnerability assessment and system interoperability, but it exists in a large gray area of the law. We have thoroughly examined the legal frameworks of various jurisdictions and discovered that more than 70 per cent of security professionals are not certain about the legal boundaries of work (Dasgupta et al., 2024). Comparative analysis shows that the EU offers clear Article 6 exception to interoperability with five conditions to the situation, whereas the DMCA Section 1201(f) in the U.S. is more restrictive in its protection, which does not include security research. We single out eight significant legal grey areas in terms of conflicts on jurisdiction, safe harbor, and disclosure. This paper will consolidate the existing law, test case law of the recent cases (2023-2025) and examine industry practice in order to record the chilling effects and the specific legal risks posed by these frameworks. As our discussion reveals, the current laws tend to be out of sync with the advancement in technology and this may make doing genuine security a hindrance. We make timely suggestions to researchers, organizations, and policymakers in order to promote a balance in protection of intellectual property and the required security research.

Portfolio management in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas industry is critical for optimizing asset performance, mitigating operational and financial risks, and ensuring long-term profitability. Given the capital-intensive and high-risk nature of upstream petroleum operations, a structured framework integrating asset allocation, diversification, risk governance, performance monitoring, and investment screening is essential. This study examines portfolio management practices within Nigeria’s upstream sector, with emphasis on economic feasibility evaluation tools including Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Payback Period, Profitability Index, and Break-even Oil Price analysis. The study further analyses key portfolio components such as goal setting, action planning, capital allocation, rebalancing, reporting, and risk management within the context of Nigeria’s regulatory and fiscal environment. The findings highlight the importance of integrated financial and strategic decision-making in enhancing investment resilience, optimizing resource utilization, and promoting sustainable sector growth. The study provides a practical framework for policymakers, regulators, and upstream operators seeking to strengthen portfolio performance in a volatile energy market.