Information Technology - Essay Example

? Information Technology This essay intends to develop a problem along with a purpose ment about the evaluation of technology integration within The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). In addition, the essay will represent a particular model, which can be utilized by the organization to integrate technology. However, the overall analysis proved to be quite beneficial for the organization to develop best practices in the respective industry for integrating technology. Introduction The International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is regarded as an international consulting and technology based corporation, which is located at Armonk, New York, United States. IBM markets and manufactures hardware along with software and involved in delivering other services such as infrastructure development that include nanotechnology and mainframe computers. The company was established in the year 1911 with the merger between three companies namely International Time Recording Company, Tabulating Machine Company and the Computing Scale Company (IBM, 2013). Specially mentioning, integration towards technological aspects is duly considered to be one of the decisive aspects for any business and IBM being one of the most renowned companies widely utilizes this particular concept. In this regard, integration is often viewed as one of the most cost-effective ways through which Information Technology (IT) is able to add commercial value to various enterprises. Over the years, numerous companies have spent end number of dollars for the primary objective of developing solutions in order to solve business problems (Bussler, 2003). In this respect, the essay will develop a problem along with a purpose statement about the evaluation of technology integration in IBM. Additionally, a model representing the efforts that could be made by the company in order to integrate its technologies to improve performance will also be included. For the purpose of determining the most effective integration strategies, the essay will follow up appropriate recommendations for integrating technologies to improve overall organizational performance. Development of a Problem and Purpose Statement In relation to the evaluation of technology integration, IBM largely realizes utilization of certain broad values. The organization possesses a special sort of technology named as Integrated Technology Services (ITS) that are backed by IBM processes, proprietary tools along with assets that ensure a dynamic IT infrastructure, catering to the requirements of the organization towards accomplishing its expected business targets. IBM delivers a broad array of infrastructure services such as build, design, maintenance, consulting and management that are intended to assist the organization while providing technological support (Taylor, 2004; IBM, 2013). Information Technology is regarded as one of the most booming industries in today’s business landscape. With the advent of modern technologies, the demands of consumers are rising by a considerable extent. It can be viewed that the consumers nowadays seem to be attached with procuring digitalized products and thus, each of the product needs to be manufactured as per the requirements of the modern day technological savvy individuals (Gurstein, 2007). In relation to these aspects, IBM has been able to fulfill the requirements of the customers through performing effective technological integration within the organization. However, the overall IT based industry is filled with several challenges. In this context, the evaluation of technology integration within IBM provided certain factors that may pose adverse implications in near future. It has been realized that the organization follows technological integration procedure in a diversified way. However, it has also been realized that the organization does not make much efforts to tackle future business uncertainties. Numerous business issues may come into play and amongst these, IBM often face the problem of increased level of business market competition. Thus, this factor i.e. gaining momentum of market competition can be duly considered as a major problem or issue for the organization towards the accomplishment of its desired business targets. On the other hand, it can be affirmed that every company has certain purpose behind performing its business operations efficiently. In this regard, the primary purpose of most of the companies is to create high amount of profitability. In relation to this factor, the purpose statement of the concerned company i.e. IBM and the analysis of its purpose statement proved to be quiet beneficial. It provided greater aid in determining the importance of maintaining greater efficiency within the various operational procedure of the organization. Thus, the purpose statement of IBM can be related to this particular aspect as it is felt that the company largely focuses upon the factor of efficiency backed with creation of security measures, developing its technology integration at large. It can also be affirmed that if the organization is able to re-focus upon the aforesaid problem statement, then it might utilize its diverse business potentials in a diversified manner. Moreover, it can also lead towards fulfillment of broad objectives in terms of complying with the requirements of numerous small, medium and even large businesses related to IT (Guffey, 2007). Model by Which the Organization Could Evaluate Its Efforts to Integrate Technologies In order to integrate technologies for enhancing overall performance, organizations need to form and develop certain appropriate business models. Thus, a business model typically depicts what activities are needed to be performed and what are the business benefits that can be expected from the conduct of these activities (Dyro, 2004). Before designing an appropriate model for evaluating the efforts made by an organization towards integrating technologies for enhancing performance, there are certain important factors that require to be considered at the initial stages. These factors include: The existing e-commerce facilities Operational efficiency prevailing in the organization Risk factors Alignment of the model within various organizational departments (Zaied, 2012). Thus, it can be affirmed that a detailed understanding in relation to the development of an appropriate business framework/model can be developed, if the aforementioned factors are broadly taken into concern. Most significantly, it is of primary importance for the organizations like IBM to realize all those factors that are associated with growth. The factors associated with growth can be duly considered as quite important, as these might provide greater aid to the organizations for diversifying their respective business operations. In a broader framework, IBM is known for conducting its business functions in a comprehensive manner. The company employs highly skilled individuals who are responsible for undertaking the most crucial business operations and providing solutions thereby. In order to integrate technology for improving overall organizational performance, the company utilizes full potential in diversifying its business activities for the purpose of providing specific solutions for mitigating various business issues (Zaied, 2012). In this similar context, the following model might support IBM towards evaluating its efforts in integrating technologies for improving entire organizational performance. The model has been represented below. Source: (Zaied, 2012). It can be affirmed that if IBM is able to follow this particular business model, then it can ream significant benefits. The imperative benefit is that the organization will be able to integrate technologies towards enhancing organizational performance. This can be justified with reference to the fact that through the use of this model, the company can assess the quality of information that is being processed at all levels. This aspect can provide great aider in determining the broad usage of information at different levels within IBM. Moreover, the model will also enable the company to keep a close check upon the information sharing process. Following this particular model will also lead towards the improvement of the information systems in the organization. It is worth mentioning that the model can be utilized for the purpose of determining the quality of services that are offered to the end customers. These aspects can prove to be quite important in relation to evaluating the technology integration process of IBM. In addition, the aspects of System Quality and Quality of Services can lead towards fulfillment of the requirements of other businesses in the form of raising satisfaction levels of the consumers. It can be affirmed from a broader outlook that the model will provide greater assistance to the company as it will deliver a clear insight pertaining to all the efforts that made by the organization to integrate technology. If the model is utilized in an appropriate manner, then it will certainly enable the organization to attain multiple benefits along with fulfillment of the primary objective i.e. evaluation of the efforts of the organization for ensuring technology integration. A few of the benefits include: Identification of the problems Determining the broad requirements Development of an appropriate plan Installation of the necessary equipments in the organization and Proper maintenance of the activities With proper utilization of the model, IBM will be able to evaluate all the efforts that have been made in relation to technological integration. It can be apparently observed that the significant aspects of the model generally comprise information quality, service quality and system quality. These aspects directly links with better usage of the technical systems, which eventually meets the requirements of the users and raises their satisfaction them at large. In relation to the model, these would ultimately provide significant benefits to IBM in effectively integrating information systems at large. In this process, the company can identify all those problem areas in its system. Based on the problems, the organization will be able to formulate strategies for mitigating those problems by way of integrating its various technological systems. The model would allow the organization to develop an appropriate plan, so that similar problems do not occur in the future. Furthermore, it will also facilitate the company to operate in an appropriate manner. Fulfillment of all these aspects will provide greater aid to the organization in terms of identifying all those necessary equipments that are needed to be installed for improving the operations. Thus, all the activities in the organization can be performed in a formative manner with proper maintenance of all the information based systems. Additionally, fulfillment of all these aspects can lead to drastic improvement in the overall performance of the organization, which is considered to be an important aspect (StartupNation Media Group, 2013; Spencer, 2004). Recommendations for Best Practices in the Industry for Integrating Technology Integration of technology has become one of the most crucial aspects in any technology based organization. With the fulfillment of this particular aspect, a company can reap multiple benefits that range from fulfillment of the business objectives, diversification of the e- commerce based activities and creation of proper alignment with the channels among others. In relation to this aspect, it is highly recommended that IBM needs to work upon the factors associated with the creation of real time collaboration in its various operational departments. Through this way, the organization can avail multiple benefits that will comprise increased profitability, high level of management and creation of flexibility in the organization among others. The organization also needs to work upon the factors associated with mitigation of the business risks. IBM can ensure this factor by way of introducing new and improved procedures for maintenance of security of all the IT assets. Specially mentioning, the organization also needs to lay its core focus upon the factors associated with creation of an effective business environment by developing its performance efficiency at large. Additionally, it can also re-focus upon one of the decisive aspects of formulation of new and improved service management principles. This can prove to provide greater support to the organization while improving its business operations in a drastic manner. Correspondingly, from the above analysis, it can be affirmed that the above explained model best suits the technological needs of the organization and therefore it is specially recommended to follow the model for the purpose of technology integration and enhancing its overall performance (IBM, 2013; Sharifi, 2007). Conclusion From the overall analysis, it has been learned that IBM, which is considered to be one of the renowned IT based organizations, felt the requirement of maintaining effective technology integration for the purpose of accomplishing its expected business targets. The organization strongly believed that through performing effective technology integration, it can raise maximum profitability and can also accomplish superior competitive position over its chief business market competitors. In this regard, the model which has been depicted hereunder will certainly assist IBM towards evaluating its efforts to integrate technologies for enhancing overall organizational performance. It is worth mentioning that effective mitigation of business risks can be often viewed as best practices in the IT industry for integrating technology within a specific business organization. References Bussler, C. (2003). B2B integration: concepts and architecture. United States: Springer. Guffey, M. E. (2007). Business communication: process & product. United States: Cengage Learning. Gurstein, M. (2007). What is community informatics: (And why does it matter)? United States: Polimetrica. IBM. (2013). Industries and solutions. Retrieved from http://www.ibm.com/us/en/ IBM. (2013). Integrated technology services. Retrieved from http://www-935.ibm.com/services/in/en/it-services/integrated-technology-services.html StartupNation Media Group. (2013). 5 Steps to integrating your small business technology. Retrieved from http://www.startupnation.com/articles/5-steps-to-integrating-your-small-business-technology/ Spencer, D. W. (2004). IBM software for e-business on demand: Business transformation and the on demand software infrastructure. United States: Maximum Press. Sharifi, H. (2007). Self-aligned wafer-level integration technology (Sawlit) with high density interconnects for RF and optoelectronics application. United States: ProQuest. Taylor, J. (2004). Managing information technology projects: Applying project management strategies to software, hardware, and integration initiatives. United States: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Zaied, A. N. H. (2012). An integrated success model for evaluating information system in public sectors. Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences 3(6), 814-825. Read More