Corporate Information Strategy and Management - Essay Example

Corporate information strategy and management The four project types and the tools that should be applied for each include: High structure-high technology projects: These are projects that are bigger and more complex, which combines the aspects of high volatility requirements and high technology needs, eventually emerging as the highly risky projects (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:312). Such projects apply new technology that is poorly understood and with poorly defined specifications. This type of project entails experimental technology, thus he level of uncertainty is significantly high. The most appropriate tool for such type of products to achieve success includes internal integration with highly qualified management, external technical assistance, and good project communication (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:317). Low structured-high technology projects: These refer to projects that are even more complex, considering that such projects entail the combination of low technology and unknown outcomes (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:351). Thus the level of uncertainty is very high, since the expectations are uncertain, while the technology being used is novel and experimental, putting such projects at a great risk of project failure. To avert the chances of such projects failing, the tools that are necessary are the internal integration and the external integration tools, comprising of teams of highly qualified developers, and the excellent application f communication skills (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:317). High structure-low technology projects: These are projects that have the lowest level of risk involved, since they comprise of well understood technology and well-defined outputs and user-requirements (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:316). The essential tools for such type of projects include formal control of results and formal project planning. Low structure low technology projects: This are projects with low levels of risk, because the technology applicable is well known, so the only difficulty is the high rate of volatility of user requirements (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:313). Such projects require the application of good project communication and excellent external integration as the tools to assist in the ever-changing user requirement. 2. Describe the issues to be considered in incident management: before, during, and after the incident The issues that need to be considered during an incident management are divided into three categories: Before the incident: At this stage, the issues that need to be considered are the sound design of the project. Further, there also needs to be the consideration of the level of execution, where a high level of disciplined execution is required (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:281). Further, it is important to have detailed documentation of all process and procedures, as well as putting the crisis management into test, to see how well they can work in a practical situation. In addition, this is the stage where intensive rehearsal is a necessary consideration. During the incident: The essential considerations during the crisis incident stage include; emotional responses which triggers negative impulses such as fear and panic (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:282). There is also the aspect of wishful thinking and group think, which tries to divert the mind from the normal course crisis. Political maneuvering as well as ducking responsibilities are occurrences that are rife during a crisis incident. Further, blindness to evidence and leaping into conclusions are also some factors that are present during a crisis incident stage (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:282). After the incident: The important consideration at this stage is disaster recovery, where issues such as the rebuilding of the damaged infrastructure come into play (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:282). This stage may entail erasing everything and building the whole infrastructure from the start, based on the nature of the incident destructiveness. 3. Please discuss the issues of security and privacy as they relate to the management of IT vs. individual need to protect personal information. Security and privacy of the IT systems require that both internal and external aspects of security are combined, considering that whether the threat is internal or external, it poses equal threat to the systems, but internal threats becomes even more threatening, because they are able to bypass the existing security measures to access the systems (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:260). The components of external physical security measures include; having security guards, gates, and keeping the area under lock and key (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:264). On the other hand, the components of internal security the application of firewalls to keep off any threatening attacks to the system, the application of authentication measures such as password, as well as encryption to ensure that the systems are not easily accessed or tampered with (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:275). The individual need to protect personal information is addressed through the establishment of security policies, which defines issues such as the aspect of password use, who should change the password and how often the password should be changed. The policies also define what the users within the organization can download from the systems and how the security policies are to be enforced (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:275). Making deliberate security decisions are also vital for enhancing the protection of both individual personal information, as well as the system security. 4. Describe the role of the IT function in each of the Strategic Quadrant sectors, and the leadership considerations appropriate to each role. Support quadrant: The function of IT in the support Quadrant is to sustain operations, while shaping the form that the business strategy will be taking in the future, especially where the business strategy is currently limited (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:424). In this quadrant, IT is not used by businesses to reposition themselves, so they can be able to fight competition or reconnect well with suppliers, but to ensure the business is supported to perform its business in its current state. Factory quadrant: This represents the quadrant where technology now plays a more crucial role in the business operations. Under this quadrant, the business depend on IT systems to undertake the core functions of the business, as well as across the extended network of suppliers, the customers and other business partners (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:424). The businesses under this quadrant are in great danger should the IT systems fail, because the business of the organization fully depends on the IT, and its failure will mean a halt for the business. Turnaround quadrant: The quadrant represents businesses that are utilizing the IT function within the business as a means of business transformation (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:424). Such businesses are not dependent on the IT systems for their survival, but are undertaking technological innovations that will enable them to utilize the opportunities arising out of technological advancement. Such businesses are facing stiff competition, and as such they are seeking to differentiate themselves using technology as a tool for fighting competition (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:424). Strategic quadrant: This quadrant represents those businesses that are depending on IT for their core functions currently, and still seek to utilize the IT function as a tool for transforming the business in the future (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:452). Such business are applying the IT function as their main strategic tool in the present, and are still seeking more innovations to thrust the business into new levels in the future. 5. Compare and contrast the pressures toward user dominance of system development with the pressures toward IT control of the development. The pressures towards user dominance are different from the pressures towards IT control. The difference in the pressures includes: Pressures toward user dominance: The pressures towards user dominance entail the desire to take control of the system and the pressures to have the system fit into the organizational culture and values (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:405). Further, there is the pressure emanating from the want of flexibility by the staff and system development teams, which in turn has to collide with the issues of set deadlines and the timeliness of the application of the resources that are dedicated to the process, considering that the more the extended time taken in the system development, then, the more the resources will be needed for the process. Pent-up demand as well as project backlogs also forms the kinds of pressure that are inherent in the user dominance system development (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:404). Pressures toward IT control of the development: The pressures towards the IT control of the system development include aspects of the professionalism of the staff and their suitability towards driving the IT system development by adhering to the values of professionalism and ethics. In addition, there are pressures emanating from the standard settings, requiring the system to be developed in a setting that is standardized, while the cost estimation and the maintainability of the system also generate pressure in the IT control development (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:409). Further, there is the issue of the corporate data management, which requires that the data of the corporation is not lost in the process of the system development (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:410). In addition, there is the issue of envisioning possibilities and feasibility, where the aspect of doubt from the corporation in relation to the system suitability and benefits exists. 6. Please discuss outsourcing, including the types of outsourcing that company’s use and the factors that influence the decision to outsource. Outsourcing refers to that concept of companies seeking the services of other vendors’ or IT firms to supply them with some IT functions that the companies cannot provide for themselves. Alternatively, firms outsource those services that would be uneconomical for the company to establish for itself, owing to the costs involved, as well as the infrastructural demands that the company needs to meet (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:303). There are various types of outsourcing that are used by companies, which include: Incremental outsourcing: This refers to outsourcing some IT functions from the vendors or the IT hosting firms, which are not core to the running of the business, and which do not give the competitors of the business any competitive advantage (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:294). Large scale outsourcing: This refers to the type of outsourcing where companies seek the services of vendors and IT providers for a large part or all of their IT functions, while the company is left to run a small part of its IT function (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:302). This type of outsourcing is risky because; should the outsourced services from the vendors or the hosting companies fail, then the business of the company might be brought to a halt. There are several factors that influence the choice of a firm to engage in the outsourcing of the hosting and management of all or some part of its IT functions. These factors include: Cost: The cost of accessing some supplementing services when an organization has its own IT system might be higher, than when it outsources the IT function as well as the supplemental services, thus motivating the companies to outsource (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:303). Minimizing in-house training expenditure: The installation and effective use of an IT function within a firm requires that the company must develop capacity through training. Since this will mean extra expenses for the companies, the companies may opt to outsource (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:303). Accessing specialized resources: An organization may be in need of some specialized resources that it cannot afford to have by its own. Thus, it is forced to outsource such specialized services (Applegate, Austin & Soule, 2009:303). References Applegate, L., Austin, R., & Soule, D. (2009). corporate information strategy and management text and cases. (8th ed., p. 00).McGraw-Hill. Read More