Select a large, multinational organisation that has succeeded in effectively aligning its business and IS/IT strategies, so creating a competitive advantage in its industry. Identify how IS/IT infrastructure and IS/IT projects have specifically supported the overall business strategy of the organisation and identify where they have also been a catalyst in actually enabling and creating new business strategy. Make an evaluation of the degree the selected organisation’s overall approach to IS/IT management has played a part in the successful alignment and implementation of IS/IT and business strategies. You must choose an organisation which has successfully aligned IS/IT and business strategies. The organisation may or may not be an IS/IT company, as the emphasis should be on how the organisation has used IS/IT to address and service its’ market, not just on the products it provides.
A concise description of business strategy and how IT/IS is aligned with it can be facilitated by the use of appropriate industry strategic models. In providing an analysis of your selected organisation’s approach to IT management you may find assistance in the textbook (and other sources of course) where it shows that IT management is based on how well an organisation:
- involves all managers in IT;
- integrates IT into business strategic planning;
- uses PM methodologies across the organisation;
- has a business process approach and effective outsourcing practices;
- understands the importance of corporate governance and IT.
You do not need to go through all of these IT management issues in-depth, but you should look for highlights (or lowlights) in the performance of the organisation with regard to them, so you will be able to make an informed evaluation of how well the organisation has managed IT/IS to underpin, support and even lead its’ business strategy .
1. SAS Institute 2. Google 3. NetApp 4. Kimberly-Clark 5. Microsoft 6. Marriott 7. FedEx Express 8. W. L. Gore & Associates 9. Diageo 10. Autodesk 11. PepsiCo 12. Ernst & Young 13.Telefónica 14. Monsanto 15. Intel 16. National Instruments 17. General Mills 18. American Express 19. Accor 20. McDonald's 21. Cisco 22. Novo Nordisk 23. Quintiles 24. SC Johnson 25. Mars