5. Information Technology, 5-Forces Model, Competitive Advantage, and Strategic Positioning
a. In a highly competitive, globalized, flat world filled with challenges and opportunities identify and discuss THREE important reasons why businesses MUST invest in information systems and related technologies (See Laudon & Laudon text). Businesses must invest in IT for numerous reasons; three of those reasons are to achieve operational excellence, gain competitive advantage and for the company’s survival. Information technology has completely changed the world and for businesses to thrive and to gain and sustain competitive advantage, investments in IT must be made. Achieving operational excellence is important for any business, being as
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This allows the company to differentiate itself and charge less for a product which is more appealing to more customers. Utilizing information technology in business leads to business survival. Gone are the days of you only shopping at your local mom and pop stores, everyone is searching for the easiest way to get the exact product they want. Most people do not care where it comes from, just that they are getting the best deal. Information technology allows this to become feasible for business to compete among the big dogs of the industry. A small bakery which does not have a website and is only open during regular business hours will not make nearly as much as the bakery down the street with the same hours but has a website to order exactly what you want online. IT will help grow that business and allow it to survive in the ever-changing global economy we live in. Survival of the fittest is not just a phrase for Darwin anymore; a business either uses IT to enhance what it already does, be innovated and develop a new product or it will cease to exist. These three reasons show why it is important for businesses to invest in IT. They risk losing competitive advantage, being the best of their industry and even surviving if they do not do so. IT is the here and now and the future, invest now or be left behind.
b. Name and Characterize each of the 5 forces in Michael Porter’s
In the world of business, information technology strategy has been overlooked by owners for they are so focused on marketing strategies. Keeping up with the use of information technology is in just about all types of industrial process and just as important. It has been a proven fact that it contributes to the development of strategies and tactics when developing a product or service. During the twentieth century the accelerated progress in information technology has developed a large variety of technologies for the collecting and storage of information such as the Internet, software companies, and personal computers.
It has become progressively more documented that information is the most important strategic resource that any organization has to deal with. Key to the compilation, analysis, production and allocation of information within an organization is the quality of IT services provided to the business. It is necessary that it is recognized that IT services are vital, strategic, organizational assets and consequently organizations must invest suitable levels of resources into the support, delivery and management of these vital IT services and the IT systems that support them. The challenges for IT managers are to co-ordinate and work in collaboration with the businesses to deliver high quality IT services. This has to be accomplished while adopting a more business and customer oriented approach to delivering services and cost optimization (Cartlidge, Hanna, Rudd, Macfarlane, Windebank & Rance, 2007).
"The research on IT and business performance has found that (a) the more successfully a firm can align information technology with is business goals, the more profitable it will be." (111)
(ABSTRACT) This research project addresses the issues affecting information technology development and deployment. The issues represented in this study are addressed in the context of IT
Making investment into IT requires precise valuation of the available resources and consideration of the potential risk associated with the success or failure of that specific project. IT involves both machines (which can be both hardware and software) and manpower in order to run those machines. In order to operate and implement the IT strategies the organization requires highly skilled
The “IT Doesn’t Matter” article by Nicholas Carr, states an unrealistic view of the importance of IT in today corporate world. Carr tries to explain that due to the vast amount of advances in the technology field, IT has been rendered mundane. He states that IT has become as common place as a telephone or a typewriter before the beginning of the PC age. The article attempts to explains that due to the ability of most people to obtain computer systems that have capabilities that normal users will never need or use makes high end computers unable to provide the advantage that bigger companies once held over smaller ones.
“No longer is IT just another tool the CEO might use to accomplish costs saving and operational ends. Today, information technology can help solve product problems, set new levels of service and create new distribution and communication channels.”
As most business they knew that proper investment in the Information systems and Information Technology is the best way to go but they dropped the ball when it came to proper investing, they either didn’t realize or ignored the problems
As it has been evident in the 21st century, almost all companies at the global level are utilizing Information technology in their attempt to achieve the desired productivity. It is however worth noting that manufacturing, processing, assembly as well as service industries and companies have sought to utilize IT without emphasis on the specific achievements. In this context, it has come to the notice of many critics that entrepreneurs are utilizing IT just for purpose of achieving high profits and without paying key attention to the strategic importance of the same. As Carr argues, the power and the ubiquity of IT has increased prominently but this system is no longer offering the desired strategic advantage.
Information Technology (IT) is a foundation for conducting business today. It plays a critical role in increasing productivity of firms and entire nation. It is proven that firms who invested in IT have experienced continued growth in productivity and efficiency. Many companies' survival and even existence without use of IT is unimaginable. IT has become the largest component of capital investment for companies in the United States and many other countries.
For Report 3, we introduced five principles to discuss the alignment of IT assets into business results and examine the Business Value of IT (BVoIT) by analyzing the IT investment’s payoff. In addition, relate relevant examples from our previous reports and how macro trends, the disruptive technology of Internet of Things (IoT), and business model innovation along with the Theory of the Business that apply to our digital strategy, “Enabling People to Enjoy Their Busy Lives by Living Smarter.” Moreover, reference our Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals (BHAGs), vivid stories, and vision statement as focal points toward the validation of our digital business. Last, summarize all three reports to conclude our learning and understanding of delivering business value through information theory and transitioning to a digital enterprise by studying the direction phase of the Digital Strategy Direction, Digital Strategy Execution, and Leadership Intensity model.
In 2003 when Nicholas Carr wrote the article “IT Doesn’t Matter” companies were just beginning to utilize information technology as a competitive advantage. Mr. Carr contends that technology is not a permanent advantage because in time the competition will acquire the same resources and Information Technology (IT) just becomes another commodity. For the majority of companies throughout the world IT resources have become easily accessible and affordable. If Mr. Carr’s opinion is correct then the equality of IT access has just become a cost of doing
Information Technology (IT): The hardware and software technologies a firm needs to achieve its business objectives (Kenneth C Laudon and Jane P Laudon., 2010).
Given the rise of competition in the modern business industry, it is essential for firms to apply strategic use of information system (IS) to achieve competitive advantage (CA).
In today 's business environment it is getting harder and harder for organisation 's to not only survive but to compete against other organisation 's. Information technology plays a big part in helping companies compete and survive. Companies that have branches or franchises need to make sure that they can communicate with the head office so that orders can be passed down. Most of a mangers time is spent