How Symantec Can Generate a Robust Overall Business Strategy - Essay Example

? REPORT ON HOW SYMANTEC CAN GENERATE A ROBUST OVERALL BUSINESS STRATEGY Introduction to the Report Symantec, an American computer security, backup and availability solutions Software Corporation aims at providing its customers with protection in their connected experiences. This case study proposes IS/IT Management strategy for the company and evaluates its essence, design, development, impact and other concerns by comparing with the current IS system. Various associated issues are being discussed and appropriate suggestions have been made. Company Profile Symantec Corp., founded in 1982 by visionary computer scientists, has had strong development strategy that saw acquisition of a number of corporations and enterprises to become what it is today. with time, the company has evolved to become one of the world’s largest software companies providing employment opportunities to about 18,500 employees in more than 50 countries(About Symantec, 2013, web). Accordi8ng to Barron’s Table (2013, web), Symantec reported revenues of $6.73 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2012 with a profit of $1.17 billion, and recently reported third quarter FY 2013 results were higher than Q3 2012. Symantec is one of the leaders in the security software market, and its ranking in the Barron’s 500 table rose from 267 to in 2012 to 14 in 2013. The major competitors to Symantec include Macafee, Postini and Websens (About Symantec, 2013, web). Business Strategy Symantec’s goal is to continue to improve its existing products and services, and at the same time develop new, innovative products and services that solve important unmet or underserved needs. Over time customers will have more and better choices that will continue to meet their evolving needs and deliver better value. Symantec is focusing on 10 key areas that combine existing products and services into new, innovative and comprehensive solutions that meet multiple customer needs with integrated and higher value offerings. The overall development process is estimated to take six to 24 months depending on the specific offering (Barron’s Table, 2013, web). These future offerings are intended to align with meeting three key customer needs: Making it simple to be productive and protected at home and work; keeping businesses safe and compliant; and keeping business information and applications up and running. Information Systems and Strategy An organization’s information system includes people, business procedures, and organizational resources aimed at collecting data and processing that data to enhance organizational success and development. All information systems involve the acquisition of information, processing of that information and finally the application of that information into various organizational needs. Symantec has a well developed IS strategy that focuses on the use of IS in supporting its business development and growth strategy. By delivering on its information management strategy, the organization protects information completely, deduplicates all information everywhere, thus eliminating redundant data. Further, it provides customers with delete confidently and discover efficiently in the use of its products. New delivery models such as the Symantec Enterprise Vault 9.0 and Enterprise Vault Discovery Collector provides customers with the ease of storage, management and discovery of information across the enterprise (Symantec Corporation History, 2013, web). Proposed Information Strategy, Comparison with the Current Strategy and Evaluation There is an increase in the need for adopting proper and reliable information systems for every organization. Currently, due to the increase in the level of competition in the current business environment, every organization seeks to implement competitive strategies aiming at winning customers. Symantec corp. operates in a highly competitive business environment. With the increase in the number of organizations providing security and protection to enterprises, organizations and individuals, the company has to develop a strong information strategy in order to reach to all of its current and existing customers. Recently, the company announced its new strategy, the Symantec 4.0 that sought to not only change but also revolutionize the manner in which the company undertakes its operations (Uusitalo 2013, p. 12). Proposed Information Strategy Information strategy, which is a detailed plan describing the process of collecting information and how the usage of that information when collected enables the organization stay informed in its operations and remain ahead of its competition. Having a well-organized information strategy improves an organization’s competitive edge, subsequently increasing its revenues. The proposed information strategy seeks to collect information on the reliability of its products by collecting customer feedback and sentiments about the reliability and effectives of its products (Uusitalo 2013, p. 3). Having a strong online presence through the social media and its website, the company hopes to collect information about its products through various channels. The company through its proposed research and development team hopes to act on the recommendations and customer sentiments in an effort to improve their satisfaction (Uusitalo 2013, p. 8). The company should have an integrated system that allows for computer-generated information, thus improving efficiency and thus general effectiveness. Through its SAAS strategy, the company hopes to acquire more customers as its operations rely on software-enhanced operations. While this will increase its effectiveness in providing highly quality products and services to the customers, it also hopes to reduce in its operational costs, especially in staff salaries. Most of these operations will rely on computer systems, hence the low operational costs. Comparison with the Current Strategy and Evaluation The difference between the current and the proposed strategies for Symantec is the reliability and effectiveness of the system. While the current information strategy for Symantec lacks efficiency and effectives in its operations, the proposed system simply is an improvement of this system. Although the company has operated using this system for a number of years, the realization of the inefficiency in the application of this system prompted the improvement. As such, there are minimal changes in the proposed strategy in relation to the current system. However, the organization hopes to economize in the use of labour and save on salaries due to the increase in the use of computer-aided information systems. Currently, the organization relied on manual operations in collecting information. On the other hand, the proposed strategy aims at instilling strong systems focusing on strong research and development, all of which extensively will rely on computer applications. Current IS Strategy for Sales Systems Although the company hopes to provide utility programs for personal computers, its Current IS Strategy for Sales Systems rarely promotes individual sales. In most cases, customers do not acquire the desired product, not because the company does not produce the product, but because it is unavailable within the customer’s reach. Despite the company being a software manufacturing and publishing company, few of its products are available on the online platform. One has to contact a sales representative, a subsidiary, or even a store stocking Symantec products. This lowers the sales of the company, as it does not have a strong market presence. Proposed IS Strategy for Sales Systems Having a strong IS Strategy for Sales Systems is the best way that the company could maximize its sales. However, the company should determine its target and potential customers before establishing the sales systems for IS. The increase in ownership of personal computers and computer-enabled devices should form the basis for the development of this strategy. Aiming at providing security for computer users gives the notion that the company specializes in manufacturing protection software. Known for its Norton antivirus, most people would think that the company’s only line of business is computer protection. On the contrary, it manufactures a wide range of bother products, more common and more preferred to the antivirus. Among these, include software for client/server systems and local area networks. The company should aim at integrating these systems with the end product in order to beat the stiff competition from its rival Microsoft. Despite its dominance in the software business, the company faces diminishing sales as Microsoft now develops personal computers with its software systems, thus giving customers a complete end product. Subsequently, the company should create more business through integrating its software in products such as personal computers and computer enabled devices. Use of Business Intelligence through Database and Data-mining According to Sauter (2011, p. 55), the main importance of Business intelligence is that it allows people in all organizational levels to gain access, interact with and analyse data with the view of managing the business in an effective and efficient way to improve performance, discover available opportunities and ensure overall operational effectiveness. Organizations achieve this by developing a data warehouse in the company, which ensures that all organizational operations and transactions take place through the data warehouse. By its nature of being subject-oriented, non-volatile, and time-variant, a data warehouse ensures more reliability and efficiency (Sauter 2011, p. 55). Being a software manufacturer and providing clouding and storage support for businesses, Symantec has a well-developed, and highly reliable data warehouse that stores its data. Through the heavy reliance on systems, the company derivers important data from its warehouse, especially data focusing on product development and research. This is however possible through data mining focusing on consumer statistics. Important information managed by the company’s data warehouse include the buying patterns, trend in the computer manufacture and development, emerging markets and the competitors in the business. Symantec could however take the advantage of analytics tools that generate automated reports and implement Real time Decision support systems. Issues with Ethics and Security Although the company has managed to remain the leader in its industry of operation, it has faced a number of ethical issues. One of the most pressing issues affecting the operations of the company was the case between the company and its rival software company, Borland International Inc. Following the hiring of former Borland vice president Eugene Wang by Symantec in the late 1992, Borland International Inc. sued Symantec over charges that Wang had passed on trade secrets via electronic mail to Symantec CEO Eubanks before his departure from Borland (Symantec Corporation History, 2013, web). This was the first legal case that the company found itself in since starting its operations. Apart from this case, the company has managed to remain at the top of its operations, without suffering any further setbacks. Further, it has faced no significant security threat, as it seeks to protect its data in any possible way. However, due to the increase in the number of cybercrimes and information robbery as it happened with Borland’s boss, the company faces this risk. Any individual or organization could try to steal from the company, hence breaching its security. Adapting more clear and open methods of employee hiring could save the company from such issues. The fact that there was exchange of information between Symantec and Eugene is an indication of a leach of business ethics. If the company could avoid, it could ensure that the hiring process does not include employees of its competitors. On the other hand, it could ensure that that the hiring takes place on merit rather than on the ability of the employee to provide the company with information on competitors. To make its operations more secure, Symantec should adopt better methods of securing its data and information, avoiding exposure to suspicious people. Issues with Relationship between Customers and IS; Positioning of IS activities Customers are the most important stakeholders in any business organization. Every operation in the organization should aim at satisfying the needs of the customer. Failure to satisfy the needs of the customers, most of the businesses would edge out of business. This is however possible through proper product development and positioning of the IS services. The company should have user-friendly systems that allow for purchase and feedback as well as claim reporting. As Stair (2011, p 50) points out, it is imperative for a company to improve its systems in line with technological changes. Subsequently, as customers and businesses adopt new technology, the company can keep abreast these changes, hence ensuring the ease of use and compatibility with the present systems (Stair 2011, p 50). Symantec aims at providing customers with products that deal with complex threats, mobile phone proliferation, identity protection, and the rapid increase in the digital data. It aims at both personal and home products, business and enterprises product development. Through a diversified channel strategy, the company hopes to acquire more customers. The company should however ensure customer diversification by establishing products focusing on different markets. Design and development of the proposed business information system The proposed business information system in this report aims at improving the business operations and profitability of Symantec as a company. by placing the proposed system in line with the current business environment, the company seeks to improve its level of competition. However, the system will be flexible to allow for the changes taking place in the technology. Most of the businesses develop systems too rigid that they do not put into consideration the changes inb the technology. However, as the technology keeps changing in a dynamic way, the system will be flexible enough to accommodate these changes. The design of the system will ensure that most of the organizational operations are put into consideration before the development of the system. Any future expansion and growth should be put into consideration. The development stage will include the implementation of the system in line with the organizational needs. Impact of Proposed System on Business Performance - A Conclusion By implementing the proposed strategy, the organization hopes to not only improve the efficiency and effectiveness in its operations, but also increase its sales and profitability. Through customer diversification and integration of operations, the organization ensures that it provides the right products to the right people and at the right time. Further, customer feedback ensures that the company satisfies the actual customer needs in the most efficient way. This strategy has the potential of increasing the organization’s profitability, and winning the lost market share to its rival companies such as Microsoft and Borland International Inc. Works Cited Barron’s Table 2013, Barron's 500 Table, Barron’s. accessed, 2 January 2014 http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424052748703591404578461563217278972.html Messmer, E 2013, Symantec CEO on reorg: ‘our system is just broken’ compuerworld, web. Accessed 2 January 2014 http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9236174/Symantec_CEO_on_reorg_our_system_is_just_broken_ Sauter, V. L 2011, Decision Support Systems for Business Intelligence. Hoboken, John Wiley & Sons. Assessed 2 January 2014 http://public.eblib.com/EBLPublic/PublicView.do?ptiID=706599. Stair, R. M 2011, Fundamentals of information systems. New York, Cengage Learning. Symantec Corporation History, 2013, fundinguniverse.com. accessed 2 January 2014 http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/symantec-corporation-history/ Uusitalo, S 2013, Symantec 4.0 Strategy, Symantec, pp. 1-13. Accessed 2 January 2014 https://ecs-nordic.arrow.com/Arrow%20Common%20DAM/Arrow%20ECS%20-%20FI/Symantec%204.0%20Strategy%20-%20Partners.pdf Read More