Information Resource Management - Case Study Example

Information resource management Name Course Tutor Date Information resource management Executive Summary This study presents analysis of the NASA’s Chief Information Officer’s current recommended governance approach; and how he intends to manage Information resource management to satisfy the IT needs of the organization. NASA the short form for National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the US administration that which is in charge of the national space program and for aerospace and aeronautic research. NASA was established in 1958 with specifically civilian orientation encouraging supporting peaceful space science applications. The agency’s work is technical and need high level of information technology, more so in space and aeronautics operations. In the past the CIO has not been given authority to recommend the best approach to effective IT infrastructure. The CIO has been marginalized through the organization structure and powers. This situation has led to insufficient budget, insecure IT systems, unclear relationships between the IT boards and decentralization of IT governance. Introduction With the curiosity to understand the earth increasing, NASA business and operations have increased tremendously prompting them increase the number of information technology assets. This means the agency has increased its research on earth and space. In fact the agency has over 1,000 unmanned assignments created to explore the solar system and the earth. They are also planning to set up permanent base in the moon by 20201. All these need a coordinated information flow through technology; a work well cut out in the CIO, Larry N. Sweet’s role. According to Laudon, Laudon (2005) the CIO must be effective so as to bring together all organization departments and workstation across planets2. With the guidance of Chief Information Officer, the company can create an information technology infrastructure which channels all information to a central point at the headquarters in Washington, D.C, US. In light of this information, the report presents analysis of the NASA’s Chief Information Officer’s current or recommended governance approach; and how he intends to manage Information resource management to meet the IT needs of the subject organization. CIO’s current or recommended governance approach in managing Information resource management In the recent Currently, NASA information technology department is facing several challenges affecting flow of operations. The decentralized form of the agency operations and its continuous culture of autonomy have hindered the ability of the agency to execute successful Information Technology governance. The arrangement made Agency CIO to have limited control and visibility over a major Agency’s IT investments. The CIO also operated in organizational structure which marginalizes the power that comes with that position, and could not implement security measures within computer networks of NASA. To handle this situation the CIO recommended centralization of authority to allow the control, securing of IT system at Agency level so as to achieve accountability efficiencies and economies in IT management. However, in 2011, NASA’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) allocated a memo shifting the major functions of Federal Chief Information Officers from making of policy and maintenance of infrastructure3. The memo mandated that agency provide their CIOs with power over commodity IT, IT governance, information security and program management. Based on the authority that was bestowed on the CIO he was able to recommend governance approach NASA could use to manage Information resource management. First the CIO found the situation of under funding of the agency. In the financial year 2010, it was only $1.6 billion that was allocated to the Agency yet it spent $2 billion4. Therefore the CIO recommended that for IT department to manage Information resource management effectively they must be given the mandate to prepare departmental budget. As such, they would a comprehensive budget which can cater for buying new IT gadgets. Currently, each Center level offices has an CIO to set up guidance and direct Information Technology management; but structures of the organization, IT authorities and responsibilities, and the levels of funding vary broadly5. In such arrangement the information resources management have not been effective. Before the CIO functions was reviewed the relationships between the IT boards was indistinct. The difficulty of the structure of the board and an unclear of credentials and training to clarify the interconnection of the boards resulted to confusion amongst Agency IT officers concerning the roles and functions of the boards and reduced the value to the management process. The CIO hence, recommended for streamlining the IT structure to ensure there is coordination and collaboration and interrelations between the boards. NASA has a logically satisfactory core information resource infrastructure, but the company also has had insecure systems distributed all through its operations. The past numerous years, the agency audits repeatedly recognized poor management processes and insufficient technical and operational controls which affect NASA’s ability to safeguard information and the IT systems crucial to its function. The information resources have not been reliable, consistent life-cycle oriented planning and funding course to deal with this challenge. Inadequate support from the management is usually cited by the IRM experts as the main reason why information resource management does not thrive and remain as the key obstacle to realizing ongoing success. The CIO claims that his office must be given the power to develop IT security procedures and policies and executing the general Agency IT security programs. For this to be done, Larry N. Sweet recommends to set up an inventory that is consistent with security policies. NASA contends that the CIO also assists in minimizing risks and maximizing the return on investment by improving performance6. This position also help and ensure that every country’s IT services follow the company IT department goals such as to have enterprise architectures, maintain IT security prerequisites, and obey standard laws and policies (NASA, 2013)7. An effective strategic IT plan must ensure that cost effective integrated IT solutions is to be tied to mission support. NASA comprise of a Headquarters in Washington DC, other nine geographically detached Centers and also Jet Propulsion Laboratory8. In the past, NASA has functioned as a decentralized company on the basis of the idea that the agency’s project managers at the centers ought to be given much freedom and autonomy to achieve the Agency’s mission. In agreement with this philosophy, the organizational structure of the agency has three major levels including Agency or “corporate” management, Center management and center project or program management. To make all these work perfectly the three components of Information resource (business resources, system resources and data resources) must perfectly be channeled and protected to provide communication and data integrity9. Business resources are the most important component of NASA. In fact, without this component the company functions are paralyzed. For this reason, NASA employees the most qualified CIOs resources and skill needs. However, marginalization of their authority in the past has not made them ineffective (Laudon & Laudon, 2005)10. In this perspective system resource implies to business processes, administrative practices, computer programs and procedures and operational steps (Weill & Ross, 2004). Piccoli & Ives (2005) posit that bringing business and system resources together, that is people and computers, makes organization look as a “whole perspective" and enable people appreciate the fact that information systems architecture is the instrument for change management11. This observation is anchored in the view that position needs to be in line with business operation and information system architecture (NASA, 2013). The third form of a component of information resource is the data resources which include data elements, files storage records, Inputs, Outputs, maps, Database and call parameters. The employees must be able to differentiate the uniqueness of these components and sharing of information between them ensures organizational goal is met. According to NASA, the information resource management ought to be part of each manager's daily duty12. The objective of IT department NASA must be to develop information systems which enable the company to operate efficiently both at internal and external level13. Advancement in information processing technology will help NASA company in managing growth better. A convergence of data, voice and video technology could actually reduce the consequences of development for demanding technology due to the fact that convergence facilitates for rapid mutual change between individual employees and the work units, divisions or departments in the company14. High end information processing technologies will reduce the time needed for the co-ordination and enhance the frequency, and quality of exchange of information. NASA (2013) argues that in influence, high end information resources hold the promise for enhancing the coordination and adaptability in NASA. This dream will exist since integrated processing technology will enable data, voice and processing of the image to be at the control of the employee15. Therefore, the employee can look for and be given coordinating information as an issue, of course, in the day to day performance of duties. In common with numerous recent system advances, this implementation entailed replacing what is regarded as an out-of-date computer system with the new computer systems. CIO has recommended that the internal communication must be personalized and safeguarded through the Internet and the Extranets to meet the interests of customers, business partners and suppliers, the corporate portal turns out to be the incorporating channel of the numerous different databases, systems and process every division uses to conduct business with others. It also turns into a single system to manage rapid organization change. Execution of a business portal needs interfaces with the data warehouses and legacy systems. An employment of the business architecture system brings a logical design for the enterprise portal16. It is hence, necessary that company portal planning and improvement be on the basis of the adaptive architecture that is logically maintained. According to Brown (2004) the databases are very important because it is where the company stores its most important information17. As such, the IT department has to be allowed develop secure databases to ensure data integrity. Weak system is normally prone to violation and hackings which can put company at risk of loosing its important information to stranger then to the public. Brown (2004) affirms that Strong passwords and domains which can only be accessed within headquarters computers ought to be in place to enhance date and information security18. In the Specifically, the CIO established that 6 computer servers connected to IT assets which control spacecraft and have vital data had risks which could enable a remote invader to take charge of or make them unavailable. Additionally, once within the NASA network, the attacker can utilize the vulnerable computers to capitalize other weaknesses identified which could ruthlessly cripple the operations of NASA. Congress draft report the Agency CIO suggested minimizing cyber-attacks by coordinating amongst Mission security staff and the agency to create a strategy that regulates policies, procedures and tools set up across NASA19. Conclusion As the business environment changes, managers and CIOs are prompted to change the information system of the organization. The case study therefore provides a good example to the CIO where they can justify the value to their organization in a substantial manner, and to design and maintain continuing management support. This recommendation will also aid in ensuring the success of Information resource management effort by means of communication of benefits as opposed to through policing. Current perceptions of information resource management effectiveness measurement focus on the operational competence and immediate challenges hindering the operations. With increasing competition for market information the CIO must therefore align the company’s information resource towards the business strategies. References Brown, I.T.J. (2004). Testing and extending theory in strategic information systems planning through literature analysis. Information Resources Management Journal 17 (4), 20–48. Department of the Interior (DOI). (2005).Information Resources and Technology Management Strategic Plan: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. PP 1-46 Retrieved on 27th February 2013 from http://www.fws.gov/irm/docs/FWSIRTMStrategicPlan100705.pdf Laudon, K.C & Laudon, J.P. (2005). Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm. Prentice-Hall Management, London NASA. (2013). NASA’S Information Technology Governance. Retrieved on 27th February 2013 from http://oig.nasa.gov/audits/reports/FY13/IG-13-015.pdf, 1-43 Piccoli, G. & Ives, B. (2005). IT-dependent strategic initiatives and sustained competitive advantage: a review and a synthesis of the literature. MIS Quarterly 29 (4), 747–776. Rogers, S. (2010). NASA budgets: US spending on space travel since 1958. theguardian.com Weill, P. & Ross, W. (2004). IT Governance. How Top Performers Manage IT Decision Rights for Superior Results. Harvard Business School Press: Boston/Mass. Read More