Session Syllabus
EMBA 514: Creating Competitive Advantage II
Session Session Session
Session Title
Instructor(s)
Date
#
Time
FRI
4
AM
Creating Competitive Advantage With Information
Rob Anson
March
Technology
15, 2013
Primary Instructor Name
Phone
Email
Rob Anson
208.426.3029
ranson@boisestate.edu
Learning Objectives:
“Technology alone does not confer a competitive advantage.” This statement
from the CIO Magazine study is quite bland next to some of headline grabbing
statements like “IT Productivity Paradox” from MIT researchers over 15 years
ago, or “IT Doesn’t Matter” by Douglas Carr just three years ago in HBR. Both
created firestorms of debate and rebuttal, while each contained some grains of
truth. Reality is more subtle.
I would like to have us jump into this debate that began in 2003 and continues
today about the role of IT in competitive advantage and strategy. We will start
with Carr’s landmark article, and a brief rebuttal from some of the major names in
the IT field. Then fast forward to today, where Carr talks about further shifts
based on his initial ideas. In class we will pick up on this with a discussion and
debate.
The article by the Gartner Group, one of the major research houses that informs
the IT industry, takes us from the grand sweep of history to the practical. This is
by Gartner, Inc., one of the major research houses that informs the IT industry.
This is a dry but useful article about their general investment framework for IT
spending. It is helpful to use to strategize about how their organization can use IT
to attain competitive advantage and strategy, measured by its impact on “Business
Value”.
Finally, the article on Cloud Computing fills out the picture on one of the most
pervasive IT approaches facing today’s organizations. It certainly matters—but
does it put to bed the debate over whether IT Matters? We will follow up our
discussion with a more in depth examination of cloud computer and where it fits
in your organization.
Advanced Preparation:
Readings:
 IT Doesn’t Matter? Nicholas Carr, HBR, 2003
 IT Does So Matter! Kathleen Melymuka, Computerworld, 7/7/2003
 The Grill: Nicholas Carr Joyce Carpenter, Computerworld, 3/3/2008
 A Simple Framework to Translate IT Benefits Into Business Value
Impact Richard Hunter, et. al., Gartner, 2008
 Defining the Business Value of Cloud Computing Tyson Hartman and
Larry Beck, 2009 White paper from Avanade consulting
Assignment:
Assign. Description
#
Date
Due
Time
Due
OMB: IT in your
organization
3-15-13
(AM)
At the
beginning of
the session
4.0
Submittal Individual Grading
Method
/ Group Instructor
Hard copy
Individual
Anson
Points
Assign.
Weight
50
n/a
Assignment Details:
Take a stand on whether or not IT matters in your organization (where you
currently or recently worked) by recommending a new information technology or
a new approach to IT. Briefly identify the technology or approach, and position it
within the Gartner investment framework. Then argue for its adoption. In your
argument, draw upon the discussions for or against Carr’s position, and the
framework from the Gartner report.
Post Session:
Assignment(s): None!