Integration vs Alignment
BSS022-6
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
ASSESSMENT 1
INDIVIDUAL REPORT
Written and Submitted by:
David Dada Gunkat 1120397
SUBMISSION DATE: 30th MARCH, 2012.
1.0 Information Systems – Business Alignment
The business sector is a highly dynamic sector; new technology, mergers, acquisitions and regulatory changes are just few activities that make the business sector a constantly changing environment. The key factor to a functioning company is the deployment of an efficient information technology system, supporting; business strategies, goals, and needs of the organisation. Society for information management ranked IS – business alignment as number one concern on the annual survey on top management concerns for three consecutive years.
Cumps, Viaene and Dedene IT Pro (2006) suggest IS - Business alignment focuses on the fit between business and IS/IT strategies. The journal goes ahead to point out the temptation for CIO’s to go for the most superior technology available. Knowing organisations gain competitive edge by such investments, but for how long? The competitive advantage disappears as soon as a new platform is available, what was once a strategic advantage will quickly become a problem for the company.
From this the first research question is developed. How can we effectively Align IS – business to gain competitive advantage?
2.0 Information systems – Business Integration
Alignment and integration are two different topics, although both require two separate entities to work together integration is a more complex activity. Alignment is important towards integration; integration goes beyond alignment and is achieved when individual components of an organisation’s start working as an interconnected single unit.
Lear Corp. integrated a car seat manufacturing company took the production of car seats to a whole new level reducing time of production and increased the number of car seats produced, this was made possible through
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
ASSESSMENT 1
INDIVIDUAL REPORT
Written and Submitted by:
David Dada Gunkat 1120397
SUBMISSION DATE: 30th MARCH, 2012.
1.0 Information Systems – Business Alignment
The business sector is a highly dynamic sector; new technology, mergers, acquisitions and regulatory changes are just few activities that make the business sector a constantly changing environment. The key factor to a functioning company is the deployment of an efficient information technology system, supporting; business strategies, goals, and needs of the organisation. Society for information management ranked IS – business alignment as number one concern on the annual survey on top management concerns for three consecutive years.
Cumps, Viaene and Dedene IT Pro (2006) suggest IS - Business alignment focuses on the fit between business and IS/IT strategies. The journal goes ahead to point out the temptation for CIO’s to go for the most superior technology available. Knowing organisations gain competitive edge by such investments, but for how long? The competitive advantage disappears as soon as a new platform is available, what was once a strategic advantage will quickly become a problem for the company.
From this the first research question is developed. How can we effectively Align IS – business to gain competitive advantage?
2.0 Information systems – Business Integration
Alignment and integration are two different topics, although both require two separate entities to work together integration is a more complex activity. Alignment is important towards integration; integration goes beyond alignment and is achieved when individual components of an organisation’s start working as an interconnected single unit.
Lear Corp. integrated a car seat manufacturing company took the production of car seats to a whole new level reducing time of production and increased the number of car seats produced, this was made possible through