By Peggy Watt
Network World, 2/23/98

A few big intranets are about to get even bigger.

More than half of the Big Six accounting firms are facing mergers: KPMG Peat Marwick LLP with Ernst & Young LLP and Coopers & Lybrand LLP with Price Waterhouse LLP. All have formidable intranets, and information-sharing is an integral part of the corporate cultures.

Although prohibited by legal protocol from commenting much on their status and plans, representatives of the firms indicate that they are using their internal Webs to communicate the merger status with employees. They also eagerly anticipate the wealth of resources that will be available in a merged firm.

"Certainly the use of technology fundamentally improves the ability to communicate with thousands of employees," says Tim Pearson, chief marketing officer with KPMG Peat Marwick, in New York. "My expectation is that our combined new firm will be on the leading edge of [Web-based] knowledge management," Pearson says.

However, joining this dance is not a matter of just gliding into place. Although all of the firms have widespread browser use and active intranets, they are still coping with their own legacy integration issues. Many departments maintain another information management format, such as Lotus Notes, in addition to the Web.

Observed an IT manager participating in the Coopers & Lybrand/ Price Waterhouse merger: "We're trying to get stuff in line and trying not to be competitive. They're going to be our colleagues soon.''

Likewise, MCI Communications Corp. and WorldCom, Inc. are cautious about commenting on their pending merger, although both have extensive intranets that help with employee communications and are planning their technological merger.

Representatives said they expect to increasingly use their intranets for employee communications as their merger plans proceed. However, still stinging from its failed merger with British Telecommunications plc, MCI in particular is reluctant to discuss details.

Another high-tech pairing, Digital Equipment Corp. and Compaq Computer Corp., also promises to be a Webbed wedding. Both companies have intranets, with Digital's being one of oldest and largest in the business.