Reflect on the following in a minimum of 350 words each.
1. The Information Age
Reflect on the technology that surrounds us. We live in the Information Age. Most of us are connected 24/7 with mobile devices, work with IT, and do business in a virtual world. It takes many components to allow this to happen.
- What do you feel are the two most important IT technologies that allow organizations to exist in an Information Age? What are the advantages we have today that we did not have 10 and 20 years ago? As an IT manager, what do you think will be the most important IT technologies that will allow organizations to leverage the benefits of the Information Age over the next 10 years?
2. C-Level Roles
Reflect upon the roles that individuals play within a business. The era of mom-and-pop businesses, in which one person knew the entire business, is gone. Today’s businesses span entire states and countries and are often made up of multiple businesses. No one person today can understand the business, finances, IT, marketing, and other departments that make up a modern-day organization. With the growth we have seen, there is a need to have other chief executive-level positions to help manage the business as a team. Each of these chief executives needs information specific to their area of expertise to make informed decisions.
- Discuss the different needs of two C-level leadership roles (e.g., CIO, CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, or CSO) regarding information systems and why each C-level leadership would need different information systems and what systems they may be able to all utilize. From the perspective of an IT manager, also discuss the difficulties of having different needs from each C-level role.
3. Managing IT Resources
Reflect on what it will take to successfully manage IT resources. Technology is seen as the foundation of companies, including inventory tracking, the checkout process, online shopping, and electronic funds transfer. Technology evolves and has new releases and upgraded products.
- What are some of the best practices for managing IT resources to help your company gain or maintain a competitive advantage over other businesses in the same market?
4. Types of Software
Reflect on the different options for purchasing and deploying software. There are three different types of software: commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), software as a service (SaaS, which is often referred to as cloud computing), and custom-developed software.
- Discuss the differences of the three types of software along with the advantages and disadvantages of each from the perspective of an IT manager.
5. Executing New Technologies
Reflect on your role in executing new technologies. You worked closely with your IT managers to develop a complementary IT strategic plan. Your team identified the new technologies to be implemented in the next 2 years.
- Discuss how you would proceed in advancing these technologies from the planning phase to executing and utilizing them in the company.
6. Measuring the Value Added to the Business
Reflect on the value that business systems add to an organization. Information systems are no longer being used only for data reporting. As information systems have become a major part of the business model and IS budgets continue to rise as a result of increased investment in IT, there is also a growing need to understand the value of business systems.
- From an IT manager’s perspective, identify the most valuable financial metrics and models for establishing the value of a large IT project to an organization. Keep in mind the company may not receive any direct revenue from the IT project, so its value may need to be determined through its indirect business impacts.
