Information Technology Management

Information Technology Management

1. How complementary social, managerial, and organizational assets help optimize returns from information technology investments?

Information and communication technology investment gets defined as the acquiring of computer software or systems and gear that gets utilized for more than a year. Information communication technology has three sections, including programming, interchanges hardware, and data innovation gear such as personal computers and related equipment. Programming comprises of securing in house created programming, redid programming, and pre-bundled programming (Teece, 2017). The research by Kenneth and Jane Laudon proves that information technology does not guarantee good returns by itself because a company’s managerial, social, and organizational assets are also vital in helping the organization optimize the profits from information and communication technology investments.

There several aspects that a firm’s organizational, managerial, and social assets help an organization to optimize the return from investments in information technology. First, vital complementary administrative assets include strong senior management support for change initiatives.  Other valuable managerial assets include incentive systems that monitor and reward employee innovation while emphasizing on collaboration and teamwork, a management culture that values knowledge and flexibility, and training programs for employees (Teece, 2017). For an organization to implement and effectively utilize information technology, managerial assets play a vital role in its success.

Additionally, favourable organizational assets include an efficient business process, strong information systems development team, highly distributed rights, and decentralized authority. A supportive business culture that values the effectiveness and efficiency of an appropriate business model also gets included in organizational assets. Organizational assets are very critical to information sharing across the enterprise (Jondle et al., 2017). Every section of the company contributes its part in the operation chain, and then data is readily available to upstream operation or downstream operation. A well utilized and implemented supply chain system is a perfect example.

2. Describe why it’s becoming increasingly important to view information systems and technology from a socio-technical aspect.

Every organization has some type of responsibility towards the public and controlling the technical and social aspects to suite the workplace for the effective running of the company. The importance of viewing information technology and systems from a socio-technical perspective is simply because these systems contain human content and data. A socio-technical system is a system that considers requirements, including hardware, community, personal, and software aspects (Rebovich et al., 2016). This type of system applies the understanding of social rights, roles, and structures to inform the systems’ design involves technology and communities.  Examples of socio-technical systems include social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, blogs, and emails.

Socio-technical systems basis is a general theory of systems that describe what science disciplines have in common. This theory is that all disciplines refer to systems somewhat equally that is; computer scientist view them as information systems, psychologists see cognitive systems, engineers as hardware systems, and sociologists view them as social systems. These perspectives on computing systems allow us to trace computing’s evolution and view computing via differentiating levels (Jondle et al., 2017). Computing started from a mechanical level that evolved to an information and data level which acquired a human level and lastly moved to a community level. Communities work through individuals utilizing technology that is they use software through hardware components. Consequently, a vital part of computing design now includes social requirements.

3. Discuss the benefits and challenges of enterprise systems and explain why a firm would want to build one.

Enterprise systems can integrate the business process, including human resource management sales, inventory management, and financial management into one platform. This single platform allows the employees and organization to work and function efficiently and have access to vital information and data needed. Enterprise business systems have several disadvantages and advantages for any organization. One of the significant drawbacks of enterprise systems is the investment’s cost. The cost of investments depends on the customization level, user bandwidth, application modules desired, and the license type (Teece, 2017). Another challenge is the additional efforts and work required to prepare the system for optimal utilization within the organization. Implementation of an enterprise system comes with extra work that takes away from other business processes and tasks. These systems additionally come with downtime and data loss risks.

Apart from challenges, a significant benefit of enterprise systems is that they make the employees and managers work easier. The systems automate repetitive business tasks and processes, increasing the productivity of staff. Besides, these systems also assist in organizing vital information and data in place to facilitate easy access, not based on location. Enterprise systems also make it easier to track company milestones and also to formulate business plans (Rebovich et al., 2016). These information systems also benefit an organization in terms of compliance with regulations and record-keeping. Security mechanisms built into the system ensures the data collected gets protected from data theft or loss risk.

4. Discuss why a typical hierarchical management structure is not conducive to collaborative business culture.

Conventionally the hierarchical management structure was the go-to structure for governments, nonprofit firms, and business all over the world. This tradition has, however, been changing as globalization, talent shortages, and technology reshape work’s nature. Most innovative organizations are progressing towards reshaping their workforce to promote a more collaborative environment where all contributions are essential and get considered (Jondle et al., 2017). As competition within the business world increases, companies must get more efficient through the shedding of weak layers and widening control spans. A collaborative environment also enhances and increases creative ideas and their success.

Change within organizations happens at a rapid pace. Companies need to possess the ability to react quickly to changes in employee and customer preference, market changes, emerging technology, and competition. Information technology has additionally improved and allowed communication in the recent past. Social media platforms, email, video, and chats, among others, have enhanced employees’ collaboration ability across geography, levels, functions, and roles (Teece, 2017). Ensuring communication is both participative and consistent helps increase the advantages of a collaborative environment beyond basic standards.

5. Discuss the tools and technologies for collaboration and teamwork that are available and how they provide value to an organization.

The emergence of web 2.0 phenomenon has brought several techniques and technology that offer organizations new collaboration levels. Collaboration can get defined fundamentally as being social. This definition is because social platforms and networks allow individuals to share and socialize with family and friends. Organizations similar to individuals also need matching capabilities. Recently, social features are getting incorporated into traditional systems, and social platforms get developed increasingly (Jondle et al., 2017). Some of the tools utilized for teamwork and collaboration include wikis and blogs. Wikis allow several participants to contribute to a topic or subject. At the same time, blogs enable individuals to share knowledge and information and also allow others to participate through rating, tagging, and comments.

Microblogging technologies also allow for teamwork and collaboration within an organization. Yammer and Twitter are the most common of this type of technology. This type of technique that also gets referred to as an activity feed enable employees inform other on current tasks either through automation or manually, ask for assistance from the general community, and also to discuss projects and documents among others. Social knowledge networks are tools that provide a platform to find and share an organization’s knowledge and data (Teece, 2017). These networks consolidate data from across the company into one storage and enhance collaboration. Social knowledge networks can get views as specialized communities.

6. Business advantages and disadvantages for companies that embrace social business.

The recent explosion of information technology has irrevocably changed the business face and culture. The internet transcends geographical borders and therefore give the organization’s products and services increased and global exposure. This exposure often leads to an increase in sales as the business can reach new targets that were before beyond physical reach. The internet is an excellent tool that increases an organizations visibility. The social business additionally reduces marketing costs (Fidelman, 2016). The rise of the internet has brought about a significant increase in social media platforms. Social media platforms get designed to connect individuals and offer robust and relatively low-cost marketing channels that can get utilized by small and large companies. The web allows an organization to advertise its goods and services and a much lower cost.

Social business, similar to its advantages, also has its drawbacks. The internet can potentially lead an organization to lower profit margins. Although the web has made it easier for targets to access company services and products, it has also made it easier for them to access services and products from competitors as well. Business often results in cutting its prices to attract more customers to gain a competitive edge over rivals. Additionally, while the web has successfully superficially connected people, it cannot effectively replicate human face to face interactions with customers and colleagues (Ashraf et al., 2019). Lastly, a significant disadvantage of social marketing is negative reviews. Individuals now more than ever utilize social media platforms to voices their viewpoints and concerns about an organization. Internet users are more likely to complain online, and it can damage an organization’s reputation resulting in customers and revenue losses.

References

Ashraf, M. M., Razzaque, M. A., Liaw, S. T., Ray, P. K., & Hasan, M. R. (2019). Social business as an entrepreneurship model in emerging economy. Management Decision.

Fidelman, M. (2016). Socialized!: How the most successful businesses harness the power of social. Routledge.

Jondle, D., & Ardichvili, A. (Eds.). (2017). Ethical Business Cultures in Emerging Markets. Cambridge University Press.

Rebovich Jr, G., & White, B. E. (Eds.). (2016). Enterprise systems engineering: advances in the theory and practice. CRC Press.

Teece, D. J. (2017). Profiting from innovation in the digital economy: standards, complementary assets, and business models in the wireless world. Research Policy (forthcoming).