Effective Information Technology Management Strategies

Lecturer: Dr. Ebenezer Ankrah, Dept. of Information Studies Contact Information: eankrah@ug.edu.gh College of Education School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 2016/2017

Session Overview Managing IT can be viewed as having three major components: (1) managing the joint development and implementation of e-business and IT strategies, (2) managing the development of e-business applications and the research and implementation of new information technologies, and (3) managing IT processes, professionals, and subunits within a company s IT organization and IS function. This section covers the components of information technology management and fundamental concepts of outsourcing. Slide 2

Session Overview At the end of the session, the student will Identify each of the three components of information technology management, and use examples to illustrate how they might be implemented in a business. Explain how failures in IT management can be reduced by the involvement of business managers in IT planning and management. Identify several cultural, political, and geo-economics challenges that confront managers in the management of global information technologies Understand the fundamental concepts of outsourcing and off shoring as well as the primary reasons for selecting such an approach to IS/IT management. Slide 3

Session Outline The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows: Components of IT management Information Technology Architecture Outsourcing Global IT Management Challenges Slide 4

Reading List O brien, J. A., & Marakas, G. M. (2011). Management Information Systems (11th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin. (Chapter 12) Slide 5

Topic One COMPONENTS OF IT MANAGEMENT Slide 6

Components of IT Management Managing the joint development and implementation of business and IT strategies Use IT to support the strategic business priorities Align IT with strategic business goals Managing the development and implementation of new business/IT applications and technologies Managing information systems development Managing the IT organization and IT infrastructure Hardware, software, database, networks and other resources Slide 7

Components of IT Management Components of IT Management Slide 8

Components of IT Management Business/IT Planning Process Slide 9

Components of IT Management Components of Business/IT Planning Strategy Development Developing business strategies that support a company s business vision Resource Management Developing strategic plans for managing or outsourcing a company s IT resources Technology Architecture Making strategic IT choices that reflect an information technology architecture designed to support a company s business/IT initiatives Slide 10

Topic Two INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ARCHITECTURE Slide 11

Information Technology Architecture Technology Platform Networks, computer systems, system software and integrated enterprise application software Data Resources Operational and specialized databases Store and provide data and information for business processes and decision support Slide 12

Information Technology Architecture Applications Architecture Integrated architecture of enterprise systems that support strategic business initiatives as well as cross-functional business processes IT Organization Organizational structure of the IS function within a company and the distribution of IS specialists Slide 13

Information Technology Architecture IT Staff Planning Recruiting, training and retaining qualified IS personnel Evaluate employee job performances and reward outstanding performances with salary increases and promotions Set salary and wage levels and design career paths so individuals can move to new jobs through promotion and transfer as they gain in seniority and expertise Slide 14

Information Technology Architecture IT Executives Chief Information Officer (CIO) Oversees all uses of information technology in many companies, and brings them into alignment with strategic business goals Chief Technology Officer (CTO) In charge of technology management: all information technology planning and deployment Managing the IT platform Second in command Slide 15

Topic Three OUTSOURCING Slide 16

Outsourcing The purchase of goods or services from third-party partners that were previously provided internally Slide 17

Outsourcing Reasons for outsourcing Save money achieve greater ROI Focus on core competencies organization can focus on the business that they are in Achieve flexible staffing levels Gain access to global resources Decrease time to market Slide 18

Topic Four GLOBAL IT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES Slide 19

Global IT Management Challenges The challenges are grouped as follows; Political Geoeconomic effects of geography on the economic realities of international business activities Cultural Slide 20

Global IT Management Challenges Political Challenges Rules regulating or prohibiting transfer of data across national boundaries Severely restricted, taxed, or prohibited imports of hardware and software Local content laws that specify the portion of the value of a product that must be added in that country if it is to be sold there Reciprocal trade agreements that require a business to spend part of the revenue they earn in a country in that nation s economy Slide 21

Global IT Management Challenges Geo-economic Challenges Sheer physical distances Difficult to get good-quality telephone and telecommunications services Differences in the cost of living and labor costs Slide 22

Global IT Management Challenges Cultural Differences Languages Cultural Interests Religions Customs Social Attitudes Political Philosophies Slide 23

References French, C. S. (2001). Data processing and information technology (10th ed.). London, Continuum: Sage Publications Ltd. Hutchinson, S. E., & Sawyer, S. C. (2000). Computers, communication and information: A user s introduction (7th ed.). Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill. O Leary, T. J. (2004). Computing today. Boston: McGraw Hill. O Leary, T. J., & O Leary, L. I. (2005). Computing Essentials. Boston: McGraw Hill. Thompson, R. L., & Cats-Bail, W. L. (2003). Information technology and management (2nd ed.). Boston: Irwin McGraw- Hill. Williams, et al., (2003). Using information technology: a practical introduction of computers and communications. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Slide 24