While reading the article one may have been surprised that they would so willingly, and openly, share such information with other (including competitors). Their willingness was due to:

• FTC regulation. 
• Baldrige criteria (winners of the National Baldrige award are required to share such information)
• Sear's desire to position itself as leader in information technology (and in the process begin to sell such services to other businesses).
• The information alone would not allow a firm to make such changes