Case study Analysis: Higher Colleges of Technology

HIGHER COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGY

Case Analysis Assessment

Course Name	IT Strategy & Governance	Course Code	CIS 4203
Date	29th September, 2016	Time Allowed	1 hour
% of Total Grade	10%	Total Marks	10
Teacher(s)	Lydia Rock
Learning Outcomes	LO’s 1,2,5
Student Name
Student ID		Student Section	PM
NOTES
This is an open note assessment. You are not allowed to use your Laptops.
CHEATING
I understand that if I cheat or try to cheat, or if I try to help other person to cheat, in this exam I will be dismissed from the college.   Student Signature ……………………………………………………… Date ………………………
Supervisor Signature:………………………………………………………………. Date ………………………………

 

Read the following case study and then answer the questions

Automotive Firm Gives IT Strategy an Overhaul

A leading U.S. company took a deep look at its IT organization and refreshed its strategy to fit shifting business goals.

 

Situation

Three years ago, an automotive company’s IT organization had undergone a major transformation based on an IT strategy and roadmap that A.T. Kearney had helped define. Now, business priorities had changed, and the company was planning a geographic expansion. The company turned to us to review the current state and refresh the IT strategy to align with business objectives for the next five years.

Approach

A.T. Kearney conducted collaborative workshops, interviewed stakeholders in the IT organization, and facilitated discussions with teams from related business groups to map out the road ahead for the IT department. Our assessment included five dimensions:

·      Review the business strategy and priorities to formulate an IT strategy that meets business needs.

·      Review emerging trends in technology and IT management, and determine focus areas for future investment.

·      Assess the current state of IT functions across key quantitative and qualitative elements.

·      Determine adjustments to strategic pillars based on emerging business and IT priorities.

·      Define key initiatives, and create an implementation roadmap. 

Synthesizing information from the workshops, interviews, and team discussions helped define a new IT strategy and generate an implementation roadmap.

 

Impact and Advantage

Our approach helped define a clear and compelling strategic initiatives roadmap that had a minimal impact on operations. This was complemented by a strategy for change and implementation management along with a process model with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Outside-in perspectives on emerging IT trends and specific recommendations on setting up a two-speed IT organization—with both a digital workforce and an assessment framework to define a regional IT support model—was well-received and helped the company visualize its future and identify investment opportunities to support its journey.

Case Study Questions

 

1.    What triggered the need for a new IT strategy? [1.5 marks]

 

The need for an IT strategy was triggered as a result of the company’s shift in business goal, which required more sophisticated approach to the business process in order to meet the varied needs of customers.

2.    Who is performing the IT strategic planning for this company?

[0.5 mark]

A.T. Kearney was charged with the responsibility of effecting the new design in IT.

3.    What steps are they taking to do  IT strategic planning? Show evidence from the case and relate it to the steps that were covered in class.(Hint: try to spot the SWOT analysis elements). [5 marks]

Basically, A.T. Kearney conducted numerous surveys in order to identify the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats associated with the present IT settings in the company. They did this by conducting collaborative workshops, interviewing stakeholders in the IT organization, and facilitating discussions with teams from related business groups to map out the road ahead for the IT department. This feature a review of the company’s business strategy, an assessment of emerging IT trends, review of the issues with the present IT features, definition of necessary measures for adjustment and overall implementation controls. The information gathered were synthesized to form a new approach to IT process in the company.

 

4.    Among the different steps needed to implement Business/IT alignment. Which of these steps, other than IT strategic planning were done if any? [1 mark]

A number of approaches (other than strategic planning) was adopted by the review company as:

·      Review the business strategy and priorities to formulate an IT strategy that meets business needs.

·      Review of emerging trends in technology and IT management, and determine focus areas for future investment.

·      Assessing the current state of IT functions across key quantitative and qualitative elements.

·      Determining necessary adjustments to strategic pillars based on emerging business and IT priorities.

·      Defining key initiatives, and create an implementation roadmap.

 

 

5.    List the IT governance scope elements, was any of them mentioned in this case? Specify. [2 marks]

 

The elements of IT governance are as discussed below

·      Alignment – this provides strategic directions on the way forward.

·      Value Delivery – this is the expected value from the implementation process.

·      Risk Management – this involves ascertaining that the processes are in line with defined measures and doesn’t create unnecessary risks for the business.

·      Resource Management – provides the directions on how to effectively utilize the resources in order to create effectiveness and efficiency from the process.

·      Performance Measurement – the performance of the system are continually measures to ensure that it does not shit from desired (defined in some cased) objectives for such implementation.

All of these elements were highlighted in the case. For instance, necessary adjustment and volume of value to be delivered where determined through survey, risk and resources were also measures and performance levels defined following successful completion of the project implementation. As noted in the case, the company defined an  Outside-in perspectives on emerging IT trends and specific recommendations on setting up a two-speed IT organization—with both a digital workforce and an assessment framework to define a regional IT support model—was well-received and helped the company visualize its future and identify investment opportunities to support its journey.