Analysis Term Papers
The papers were very mixed in quality—some very good ,
some not as good.
The best way to communicate what could have been better is
to refer you to the check list that I distributed in class.
Communication skills are extremely important for most if not
all ISM jobs. That includes both oral and writing skills.
Paper Objective
The objective of this paper is to provide an analysis of how a
combination of business strategies and the use of information
systems have enabled (
) to gain a competitive advantage
in the (
) industry.
To accomplish this the paper is divided into four sections.
Section I focuses on the (
) industry. Section II provides a
profile of ( ), the company being evaluated. Section III uses a
structured approach to understand the role and significance of
the use of information systems. Section IV concludes with a
summary of the significance of (
) accomplishments to
date and whether it is prepared to face a number of difficult
challenges in its future.
Section II – Industry Analysis
Poorly defined industry.
Poorly done or no business strategy models or models with
little to almost no narrative.
Standard mistakes with the Porter Competitive Model
Section II – Company Analysis
1. Logic of starting with history of the company?
2. Successful companies are because of people.
Boiler plate business people information cut and pasted
from web page biographies.
3. This is a paper about the significance of the use of
information systems so doesn’t it make sense to
introduce the IS executive in the company?
The Plan
Correct and/or improve Section I and II of paper that will be
1/3 of the Section III grade.
Complete Section III and IV.
Submit complete, final paper in hard copy form with the
original copy of Section I and II and a diskette with the final
complete paper on it.
After today, there are eight more classes to the end of the
quarter.
I will pick who will present their papers to the class.
Chapter 8 and 9 Summary
STRATEGIC OPTION GENERATOR
TARGET
SUPPLIER
CUSTOMER
COMPETITOR
THRUST
DIFFERENTIATION
COST
INNOVATION
GROWTH
ALLIANCE
MODE
OFFENSIVE
DEFENSIVE
DIRECTION
USE
PROVIDE
EXECUTION
STRATEGIC
ADVANTAGE
Figure 8-1
Things to Remember about S.O.G
Relating to the Paper




For ‘Target’, think about who is the strategic target of the
business.
For ‘Thrust’ think about which of these strategies does your
business focus on and pick one of the primary strategies and
any of the three supporting strategies that are important.
For ‘Mode’ think about your company’s position in the
industry—is it a leader or a follower?
Finally, ‘Direction’ think about who IS are intended for:
people within the company or beyond the company
boundaries.
Chapter 9: Roles, Roles and
Relationships
1.
2.
3.
The Role of Information Systems is to focused on
competitive priorities.
The Role of Senior Management is to play a
major role in positioning and prioritizing the
competitive role of information systems.
The Relationship of those that run the business and
those responsible for information systems must be
on an on-going basis.
Role of Senior Executive



Need not become computer technicians
However, must have vision for the company
Also must realize the value of IS to a company
Role of Other Management



Identify requirements of new systems
Budget funds for systems
Must understand competitive role of systems
Relationships

Can be a formal organizational approach
like an IS steering committee.

Can be important enough that it is an
integral part of managing the business.
IT Transfer Through
Organizational Learning

“There is a direct correlation between the
successful introduction of a new IS and the
learning curve of the primary users.”

How are users of a new system able to
effectively learn how to use it?
Phases of IS Management
Direction: vision/strategy of the business
 Conceptual Approach: concepts of what
the system will be
 Specific Approach: specifically how the
system will be implemented
 It is important to know that Senior
Management, Functional Management and
IS management all have a different sized
role in each of these phases. (see Fig 9-4)

IS Initiators
Threat to Business
 Personal Power of a Senior Manager
 The need for business process
improvements
 One or more of the above things will
emphasize the use of IS in a business

Should the IS organization be a
‘business within a business?’
IS organization fits specifications of a
‘business’.
 But is it a business within a business?
 It has some attributes, but lacks profitability;
IS director’s goal is not to make a profit

Possible Exam Questions

Does outsourcing the management of
information systems impact its use as a
competitive resource?

Explain the concept of “IT transfer based on
organizational learning.”
Chapter 10 Introduction
The Redefine and/or Define Concept
and
Change Management
Redefine and/or Define
Companies that achieve a sustainable
strategic advantage with information
systems generally redefine the factors
of competition rather than use the
technology in a traditional way.
Redefine and/or Define
What does it mean to redefine and/or define?
Redefine and/or Define What?
1. The business
2. Products and/or services
3. Business processes
Why do this?
 Value to customer
Product and Service Delivery
Process
Is the delivery process of the product more important
than the product itself?
Product/Service
Value-Add Process
Delivery Process
Product/Service
What the Customer
Buys
Value to Customer
A tailored version should be included in Section III of the ATP.
Reengineering Business
Processes
A proven approach to develop new approaches in
the way the company does things.
Definition of business process engineering: An
approach to achieve radical improvements in value
to customer and/or business efficiency.
Change Management
Four Major Change Considerations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The pressures of change.
Financial controls that discourage an increase in
the number of employees.
Shifting of productivity and other operational
objectives to information technology.
Improvements in information technology
price/performance and function.
Conclusions




Business dynamics dictate not only the need for
changes but the increasingly faster pace that they
should be addressed.
Information technology can be a catalyst for change.
A company can alter business processes, products and
services and even the very business itself.
Dealing with changes can be difficult and must be
addressed as the important factor that it is in running
a business.
Chapter 10
The Redefine and/or Define
Concept
and Change Management
We live in a word of change,
yet we act on the basis of
continuity.
The Challenge of Change
Millions of ordinary, psychologically
normal people will face an abrupt
collision with the future. Many of
them will find it increasingly painful
to keep up with the incessant demand
for change that characterizes our time.
Alvin Tofler
Futurist
Definition of Change
Making an essential difference often
amounting to a loss of original identity
or a substitution of one thing for another.
You have to realize that every out-front maneuver
you are going to make is going to be lonely, but if
you feel entirely comfortable, then you're not far
enough ahead to do any good. That warm sense of
everything going well is usually the body
temperature at the center of the herd.
John Masters
Spirit of Feeling of Innovation
and Intraprenuering
Equipping a company with the latest
technology doesn't mean a thing if you
don't alter how your employees think
and how management leads them.
Chad Frost
President
Frost Inc.
As we change what computers can
do, we must change what we can do
with computers.
Max Hopper
Former CIO
Information Systems
AMR and American Airlines
Redefine
Change
Define
Clarify
Companies that achieve a sustainable
strategic advantage with information
technology generally redefine the
factors of competition rather than using
technology in a traditional way.
Competitive Advantage
Through Use of IS?
*********
Redefine and/or Define:
1. The Business
2. Products and/or Services
3. Business Processes
To Provide Value to Customer
McDonald’s as Concept Source
Peter Drucker’s Assessment:
• Defined its products.
• Redefined processes to make the product.
• Defined customer service as quality, product
predictability, fast service, cleanliness and
friendliness.
• Set standards for these and trained its employees
accordingly.
• Redefined the “hamburger business.”
Redefine and/or Define
The Business

USA Today

American Airlines

American President Companies

Amazon.com

eBay
Redefine and/or Define
Products or Services
Charles Schwab
 Banc One
 Any company that has introduced an
E-commerce approach in addition to an
existing brick and mortar operation.

Redefine and/or Define
Business Processes

Boeing

LL Bean

All of your ATP companies—intranets,
extranets, E-Business processes
When making a purchase decision
does the delivery process become
more important than the product or
service?
Product/Service
Value Add Process
Delivery Process
Product/Service
What the Customer
Buys
Value to Customer
Figure 10-1
Value to Customer Analysis
Charles Schwab & Co.
Brokerage Service
• Computer Based Trades
• Client Broker Service
Street Smart
Telebroker
Equalizer
• OneSource
• Electronic Transfers
• Trade Risk Analysis
Delivery Process
Product/Service
Value-add Process
• Stock, Bond and Mutual Fund
•
•
•
•
•
Trades
Financial Product Options
Competitive Fees
Timely Execution of Trades and
Money Transfer
Personal Service
Confidence in Financial
Custodial Responsibility
What the Customer Buys
Value to Customer
Figure 10-2
Value to Customer Analysis:
Mervyn’s
Product/Service
• Point-of-Sale (POS) System
Ticketed Merchandise
UPC Scanning
Price Look-up
Credit Card Approval
• Wireless Portable POS
• Warehouse System
• EDI Systems with Vendors
• Infobot Voice Response
Delivery Process
Product/Service
Value Add Process
• Quality Apparel/Home
Fashions
• Competitive Prices
• High Merchandise
Availability
• Personal Service
• Fast, Accurate Check-out
• Fast Credit Approval
• Access to Credit Information
What the Customer
Buys
Value to Customer
Figure 10-3
Value to Customer Analysis
Boeing Commercial Airplane Group
Commercial Aircraft
• CAD design system and
review process
• Customer input through network
• Co-design process with customer
• Quality control system
• Vendor EDI system
Delivery Process
Product/Service
Value-add Process
•
An aircraft designed for
passenger comfort, operational
efficiency and safety.
• Flexible design configuration
• Competitive price
• Logistical support
What the Customer Buys
Value to Customer
Figure 10-4
Product/Service
Delivery Process
Product/Service
Value-Add Process
What the Customer Buys
Value to Customer
Reengineering
Hammer Definition: Reengineering is the
fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of
business processes to achieve dramatic
improvements in critical, contemporary
measures of performance, such as cost, quality,
service and speed.
Key words are fundamental, radical, dramatic and
processes.
Michael Hammer Videotape
The father of reengineering.
At least the term.
Reengineering Business
Processes
Difference between business functions and business
processes?
Definition of a business process: A sequence of predefined
activities executed to achieve a type or range of desired
outcomes.
Definition of process engineering: An approach to achieve
radical improvements in value to customer and/or business
efficiency.
Business Processes
• New product development.
• Customer order fulfillment.
• Customer service.
• Supply chain management.
• Budgeting.
• New employee recruitment and hiring.
Reengineering Motivation
• Improve value to customer.
• Strengthen alignment of core processes to business strategies.
• Pursuit of new opportunities.
• Optimize cross-functional performance.
• Broaden scope of activities and individual jobs to improve
responsiveness or flexibility.
• Reduce operating costs.
Reengineering Guidelines
1. Senior management commitment to adopting a new process.
2. Team empowerment and decision-making.
3. Be careful about how you draw conclusions and create
perception.
4. Move toward inquiry, not conclusions.
5. Make the space and time available for the official beginning
with a team kickoff.
6. Reward system must be correctly focused.
Reengineering Methodology
Process
Prototyping
and
Implementation
Phase 6
Institute
Continuous
Improvements
Phase 5
Implement
Business
Processes
Phase 4
Phase 1
•Critical Success Factors
•Activity Value Analysis
•Benchmarks and Surveys
•Processing Modeling
•Investment Analysis
Design
Business
Processes
Phase 3
Identify
Process
Breakthroughs
Phase 2
Analyze
Leverage
Points
Performance
Reporting
Source: ISS Corporation
Reengineering Success Factors
• Business Imperative.
• Strong Sponsorship.
• Right Team.
• Clear Objectives with a Well Defined
Foundation.
Hewlett-Packard
Reengineering Lessons Learned:
1. Goals and accountability must be clear.
2. Process ownership is crucial.
3. Links among business owners, process
owners and IS organization are critical.
Avon Reengineering Approach
Process
Culture
1. Stay Focused
1. Analyze (Opposition)
2. Be Specific
2. Educate (Concerns)
3. Deliver Results
3. Motivate (Buy-in to
process)
American Express Methodology
• Ownership
• Teams
• Goals
• Tracking
Competition
Complexity
Computers
Change
Change Management
Resistance to Change?
You really don’t have a choice.
There are those that content that an
organization has two choices: change
or die.
Graying of Auto Industry
Within the next two years, as many as forty to fifty percent of
the auto industry workforce will be eligible to retire.
Auto companies must decide if they will replace these
people with similarly skilled workers or redesign their jobs
and recruit more technologically advanced workers.
The shortage of skilled workers is partially a result of changes
in work requirements as the industry moves from an auto parts
or components mentality to a systems mentality. e.g. not an
odometer but an entire dashboard.
Change Challenges
Organizations worldwide are confronting more turbulent
markets, more demanding shareholders, customers with
increasingly higher expectations and employees with a
different values.
Success in making the changes required depends much on
the quality of their leadership -- not only at the top of the
organization but also among all managers responsible for
operating results.
Leadership can make a great difference, and its importance
for organizational success is intensifying.
Impact of Change
Change is intensely personal.
For change to occur in any organization, each individual
must think, feel or do something differently.
Even in large organizations, which depend on thousands
of employees understanding company strategies well
enough to translate them into appropriate action, leaders
must win their followers one by one.
Small wonder that company change is such a difficult and
frustrating item on almost every company’s agenda.
Let’s Not Forget
• Xerox: Invented plain paper copiers but almost needed to
file bankruptcy after hemorrhaging financially while trying to
become the document company.
• Eastman Kodak: Basically popularized film photography
but struggled to decide if it was in the imaging business.
• Digital Equipment: Created the minicomputer
segment of the computer industry but has disappeared as a
company.
IT Related Change
If IT related change could be limited to only affecting
the technology, implementation would be relatively
simple.
Adding human factors increases the complexity of the
change process significantly.
Successful implementation of change requires an
understanding of the human as well as the technical
aspects involved in the situation.
IT projects and people translate to “here comes the next
wave of change.”
Managing Change
Start with reality. Get all the facts out. Give people
the rationale for change, laying it out in the clearest,
most dramatic terms.
Jack Welch
General Electric
Old Paradigms Die Hard!
They have built in resistance to
their own corresponding attitudes,
institutions and cultures.
The Law of Change
Achieving change, of any significance
within an organization, is in inverse
proportion to the success that it has had up
to the time that management feels a
change is needed.
The greater the success of the company,
the less likely it is to change.
Selecting a Change Strategy
Which strategy to use in approaching a change problem is a
decision affected by a number of possible factors.
1.Degree of Resistance.
2.Target Population Size.
3. High, Medium or Low Business Stakes.
4. The Time Window.
5. Expertise Availability.
6. Organization and People Dependency.
Necessary Questions
1. Is the purpose of the new technology clear to its users?
2. Do the users accept the need for the technology change?
3. Were the users involved in planning the new system?
4. Has there been good communication regarding the change?
5. Is there acceptance of the increased cost compared to the
benefits of the new system?
6. Is there a perception of organizational support for the new
system?
7. Is there compatibility of the new technology with the old
way of doing things?
8. Have the social aspects of the new system been assessed?
9. Do the users feel that the new system reflects negatively on
their past performance?
11. Have the habit patterns of the users influenced the design of
the new system?
12. Is there a lack of respect and trust in the change agents?
13. Has excessive pressure been involved relative to the
project?
14. Is the pace of change perceived to be too fast or too slow?
15. Is there a significant amount of user fear of failure?
16. Can the status quo be reestablished if the new technology
proves unsuccessful?
Change Management Skills
• People Skills
• Business Skills
• System Skills
• Political Skills
• Analytical Skills
Transition Versus Change
1. It goes on inside a person, not outside.
2. It takes much longer.
3. It starts with an ending.
4. It finishes with a new beginning.
5. In between is a neutral zone.
This applies to organizations as well as individuals.
Burning Platform Decision
A burning platform type of decision is at hand when
the organization is facing a major, disruptive change
in which the cost for the status quo is prohibitively
high and there is a significant risk that
implementation failure could occur.
Celebrate Your Victories
Companies often don’t celebrate enough when their
people win.
They get so caught up in the daily grind of work that
they don’t stop to enjoy what they have achieved.
Do things that build people’s self confidence. It’s all
about praising others and getting excited about their
victories.
Celebrating success will help to convince people that
they are important, doing well and can respond to the
next challenge even if it involves significant change.
Change Management
Guidelines
Plan change management like you would change new
products.
A new process needs to reflect the appropriate culture.
A focus on tools can be counter-productive.
Expect people unhappiness in a change process.
Gear the entire effort to the goals of a new program or
process.
Structure where possible to have fun.
Conclusions
Change has become the norm in most businesses
Information systems are often the cause of or the vehicle for
change.
Change within an organization has to be managed
appropriately.