Management of IS
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Presentation Transcript
Management of IS • How do business organize themselves to manage IS and IT activities? • Depends upon the type of technology • Depends upon the size of the business
What Needs to be Managed? • Procurement activities • Of hardware, software and services • Deployment or implementation activities • How do we get this stuff working within the business? • Maintenance • Keeping everything running as the business evolves • Hardware, software, databases, web presence • Protection • Backup and continuity planning • Security and audits • Disaster response
Organizational Objectives • Cost effectiveness • Firms that spend too much on IT become uncompetitive • Responsiveness • Is IT organization able to respond quickly and appropriately to business needs? • Quality and Effectiveness • Is the IT organization competent? Do they get the job done?
Organizational Models • Informal • Very small organizations don’t have any formal IT function – “a guy” • Formal • Organizations have from 1 to thousand’s of employees dedicated to IT
Formal Organization Models • Decentralized • IT employees report to business unit or department, not to a central, corporate organization • Centralized • Employees report to a central organization
Pros and Cons of Decentralization • Advantages • Responsiveness to local business unit • Close proximity = easy communication • Little bureaucracy • Familiarity with business • Feeling of ownership and belonging • Disadvantages • Will tend to be reactive rather than strategic • Small size will make skill development and training more difficult • Lack of management expertise and professionalism • Will result in less efficiency for entire enterprise
Pros and Cons of Centralization • Advantages • Cost savings through standardization • Procurement cost savings due to volume • Training efficiencies • Greater career opportunities with enhance attractiveness as a place to work • Disadvantages • Slow and bureaucratic (perceived to be) • Out of touch with real business • Cost accounting and charge back requirements
Current Large Business Trends • Centralize and standardize procurement • All hardware • Most software • Centralize web management and standards • But perhaps not development • Centralize management of support of office systems • Dual reporting for business application development • Corporate and business unit
Careers In Information Systems • Software Development • Business or C.S. background • Database Administration • Systems Analysis • Design business solutions • Project and program managers • Understand technology • Manage people, decisions, contracts, schedules