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Strategic Information Systems Management Assignment
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Introduction
In an organisation, there are many information technologies and information systems that are present and managing them is not a piece of cake that is present. It has become hard for organisations in order to see what IS and IT systems can be implemented into their services. This is important to be looked at as the portfolio approach is to be further looked at on how they can be further implemented into the organisation. The value of this approach is going to be looked at in order to see whether this approach can be used as a core process to manage IT and IS services and also should it be considered as other management operations that occur within an organisation. This is important to be looked at because it will help to see whether the portfolio approach is similar in managing other operations that are present in the market.
Information technology has become an important area for organisation as it seems that the rise of technology within the market has risen. It is necessary to identify what are the different areas that such technology can be used and how it can also be managed. Without having a clear comprehension of how to manage this area then it can cause there to be further issues to arise. This report will highlight how the portfolio approach can be used in defining, selecting and implementing of such systems so that its value can be adequately evaluated.
Application Portfolio Approach
This approach is used in organisation in order to make sure that all of the existing information systems together. This shows that there is more of a centralised system that is present instead of showing that all of the systems are not interconnected hence limiting the flow of information. This needs to be managed according to the contribution that they are having within the business. There are many organisations that are present in the market that are highly dependent upon usage of IT systems to run their operation while on the other hand there are some organisations that do not require such to be done. There are different areas that need to be considered while making such a choice according to the contribution that the information system is making (Ramchand et al. 2021). It is through this approach that there is a higher level of transparency that can be expected within the operations. This is necessary to be looked at as it shows how effective performance is being achieved by this. It is through this approach that various links that can be established hence showing what are the different performance measures that need to be taken up. Such is important to be done as information technology is a factor in which there is large amount of flexibility and agility present hence in order to control this and show its value the use of the application portfolio approach is to be used (Yilmaz, 2016). From this it can be seen that the use of this such an approach is still in the fog and further analysis about it will help to identify the need and value for such an approach.
Segmentations of portfolio approach
There are different segments that are present within an organisation through which better management and flow of information can occur. Such segments help to increase the growth rate of the organisation and also provide a clear outline of seeing how IT services can help to better increase the performance levels. Such segments have been devised from matrices that have been produced overtime and help in showing how decisions within the organisation can be made. It helps to see what the different areas within an organisationare that proper use of technical services are being done within it.
Strategic
This is the first area of segmentation as it shows what the future applications are of IS and IT applications for future business strategies. This is important to be looked at as there has been a rise in the technological aspect within the market. This rise is supposed to be also further looked at within the future as it will not stop hence many opportunities would be created accordingly.
(Source: Mlitz, 2021)
The key application here is to see that it will help to classify the IT systems within the organisation so that there can be a clear set of outline of which systems are performance under which department. This creates a better level of transparency hence showing what further advancements can be made. The portfolio approach shows a business-driven framework that can be used in order for IT decisions to be taken. Through this there care audits done of the various IT enabled technologies that are present within an organisation so that various application roadmaps are made for the goals of the business in order to see the value of IT. There are many structural problems that can be seen when it comes to enabling IT and IS applications as there are many areas which are left out on how the use of the applications can be made in accordance with the various strategies that are present (Queiroz et al. 2018). This also helps to see what are the technologies that are about to rise within the future and how they can be managed within the organisation successfully.
High Potential
The above segment was involved within the area that there would be business opportunities that can be realised by understanding the value of IT and IS application but this segment deals with the fact that what the different IT opportunities that can be built uponare. Innovation is a key factor here which will be used in seeing what the technologiesare that can be implemented within the organisation so that the performance can increase. This shift the focus on technology driven performance. The decision making process is affected as it shows how new technologies within the market can help to further expand or grow within it. There are technologies such as artificial intelligence or even block chain technology whose full potential are still to be understood. Hence, this segment helps to show how much further the use of IT and IS applications can be done within the organisation. This can also be considered as a demand-driven segment because it shows whether the customers are highly interested in any sort of technology or even seeing what technologies various competitors are using in order to increase their performance (Khosroshahi et al. 2017). This helps to achieve a better competitive edge within the market as well hence creating higher value for the use of IT services.
Key Operational
This deals with the aspect on seeing what are the current IT and IS services that an organisation is dependent on and how they can increase the performance levels within them. This is an area that requires that there is further explorations that are to be analysed. The approach helps to see what the business issues that are present with an organisation and whether they can be solved by using IT applications (Kovacsne, 2017). The example here of the mining Petrosea can be taken into account, this organisation is involved in the mining sector and it had to have a digital transformation to take place in order to survive. This organisation was not a huge player in the market and it seemed to be crushed by its competition. In order to survive within the market the organisation had to take up technological transformation in which it adopted smart sensors and machine learning to take place. The smart sensors within the trucks helped to see how much of a fleet was needed for a site and also manage the amount of breakdowns that were occurring within the trucks (Petrosa, 2019). Hence, from this it can be seen that after proper planning, the use of IT and IS services had been properly addressed accordingly.
Support
This last segment within the matrix is not too much of an importance that is given upon as the level of dependence is not that high regarding business performance. Also, it does not seem to be helping in identifying what are the future areas where IT and IS can be used. This shows how valuable such applications are but not critical success factors have been identified. This helps to see what can be the various IT issues that are present in the business and can be solved. The example within the hotel industry can be taken as it seems that hotels have a decentralised IT system through which they are not able to properly manage the operations. In order to solve this area there has to be better identification of seeing what can be the various areas used for making a centralised system to be placed.
From these segments it can be understood that the value of the application portfolio approach is implemented in order to devise a better strategy for an organisation and further present various areas on what the departments that will be used. This is important to be understood as it shows that the value of the approach in main sure that IT and IS applications are properly used.
Decision making and Generic Strategies use of application portfolio approach
This part of the report will highlight why the use of such an approach helps in decision making and creating various strategies hence establishing value for the approach. It would help to see what conditions does a business takes decisions and how the role of this approach can be used in order to make sure such decisions are taken adequately. There are five strategies that are mainly used within the organisations and it is through these that it can be understood how the application portfolio approach would benefit them. It will highlight how the use of IS and IT applications can help in such strategies hence supporting the decisions that are made.
Centrally Planned
This strategy involves seeing what the organisations requirementsare that need to be met hence creating strategies for it. The use IS applications is used within a business in order to help in further expansion of its operations but it is the uniqueness of the application that can help to allow such to occur effectively. The role of the IT application would be used here as it analysed the demands of what are by the business and making sure that such are achieved by working closely with the managers. The decisions that would be taken here need to be closely linked to the technologies as it is through them that the understanding of the market can be effectively done. It should be understood that there are many opportunities that are present within the market and in order to tap them there has to be sharp evaluation done. It is through the application portfolio approach that there can be key operational prospects that can be developed. It is through this that there can be a clear roadmap that can be created accordingly (Ramchand et al. 2021). The use of the IT application being business intelligence would be used through which it can be identified what opportunities can be grasped from the market and how they would help in further growth for the organisation. It should be understood here that this is done with the consent of the senior managers in order to make sure that success in terms of IT applications will be achieved. Also, IT teams have to be developed according to the work that is to be done.
Leading Edge
This can be considered as a strategy in which an organisation develops an area for competitive edge through which a reputable brand is prepared. The focus is that of technology and how it will be able to create various advantages for the business. Return on the resources that are being used is the key area as it shows that the use of technology is surely able to increase the profits for the organisation. The role of the managers within this area is that they will be able to identify and control of IT developments and also measure the performance level of such technologies. It should be understood here that there are a number of technologies that are present within the market and proper understanding of how to use them and see the different areas within the organisation that they can be implemented is not an easy task at hand. Technology should be considered as a high quadrant within a business because it shows how further growth can be achieved (Bouncken et al. 2021). IT specialists also need to be involved within this area as they will be the ones that will provide a clear evaluation of the technology that is to be used. The role of the approach comes into play here as it shows that there could be realisation of economies of scale through a technological perspective. Through this there can be analysis of what the resources that are needed and all of the changes that have to be done. There would have to be test runs conducted and it is through the approach that all of this can be done at an easy rate.
Free Market
There are decisions that need to be taken by line managers here in which they need to point out the long-term costs that are involved with implementation of IS and IT applications. Such decisions need to be taken into account as most of the issues that are occurring in the business are solved by IT and IS solutions hence leading to a strong motivational application usage to be developed. Within the free market strategy there are more ideas that need to be evaluated hence creating a better outline of the various technologies that need to be used for helping the organisation? It should be understood here that accountability of all the IS and IT applications are being dealt at an effective level (Morrison, 2015). The supply and demand are completely free within such a market hence allowing various technologies to be adapted. The importance here is that there can be IT agility that can be commenced accordingly.
Monopoly
This strategy shows that the solutions to the issues that are being presented might only benefit one area of a business and not the whole business. This focuses on achieving high quality irrespective of the costs that are occurring within the business. The senior managers are the ones that are making decisions in seeing which are the various technologies that are going to be adopted and which ones are not. However it seems that IT services might not be the central area as only the users requirements are understood and satisfied. The use of this application portfolio approach can help to increase the work over the control of all such areas. Application inventory is to be managed here so that there can be better adoption of new and improved technology hence creating a better outline of how to manage the technologies. The key difference between the free market and the monopoly is that in the free market there is rarely an option of using IT specialists but on the other hand monopoly is highly reliable upon the IT specialists. So the high cost solutions that have been presented would be better managed in terms of costs for a business.
Scarce Resources
There are times when there are limited resources that are present within an organisation but it comes down to the fact that there could be better management of such an area. The organisational requirements here are that there is a tight control over all of the budgets as there has to be limited resources used only for key products. The role of the IT approach comes into play here as it shows what the different ways are that there can be better control over all of the resources hence making financing adequate. It is though the technology that understanding of what resources are adequate and which ones are not can be done (Sharma et al. 2017). The approach would allow there to be better transparency achieved hence creating a clear view of what can be the different areas for further maintenance to be done and providing a clear budget. Cost-justification of various projects can be made through this approach as it would allow there to be identification of seeing resources put up against cost that provides seeing if there can be profits to be made or not.
Relationship of application portfolio segments and generic strategies
The relationship here is that the strategies that have been mentioned can be added into the segments that have been discussed. This allows there to be clear management of how all of the strategies can be further managed throughout the operations. Within the strategic stage the strategy that will be implemented is that central planning. This has been done because within this strategy there will be interactive control that can be kept in check by the approach (Kokshagina et al. 2016). This is being done by making sure that there is a proper check kept within the supply management in order to ensure that a higher and better centralised system is created.
Within the support segment there would be scarce resource strategy that could be implemented. This helps in seeing that there is a better boundary control to be used hence showing what the different requirements are that need to be met. The project team would be able to see through the use of various IS and IT systems on what are the different control systems that are present and how they can be used in order to have a clear budget and management of the resources would be done accurately (Li et.al. 2019).
The strategy of monopoly would likely land into the segment of key operations as there is a need for diagnostic control to be used here. This shows that all of the projects that are running within a business need to be linked to the organisational objectives so that there is a proper understanding of what are the different technologies that can help to achieve this area. Such is important to be understood as it creates a sense of urgency to be established.
Conclusion
It can be seen that the value of the application portfolio approach is used in business in order to manage the IT software application that are running. It helps the managers to see the importance on the use of IT and IS applications and how they can also help in the decision making process. It has become necessary for businesses to adopt because the technology industry is on the rise and it helps not only to create products and services faster but also provide high quality of products and solutions as well.
References
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