Making IT Count

Book description

'Making IT Count: from strategy to implementation' focuses on the practical elements of delivering Information Technology strategy. Studies regularly show that over half of Information Technology strategies are never implemented, or are unsuccessful in delivering the desired results, and that a significant percentage of strategies implemented were never in the original plans. The linkage between strategy development and delivery needs a very clear focus; this is the key topic that the authors address.

The book highlights eight major fallacies in managing IT, and eighteen better practices. It then details how to draw up strategy, instigate navigation techniques and make sourcing decisions. Change and delivery are a major focus, as is infrastructure development. Caselets and full length case studies of organizations such as General Electric, Siemens, Colonial Mutual, Charles Schwab, Macquarie Bank, ICI, United Airlines, Norwich Union, Walgreens and Dell and have been included to show how strategies have been successfully implemented and managed.

Table of contents

  1. Front Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. About the authors
  7. Butterworth-Heinemann – Computer Weekly Professional Series
  8. 1 Strategy, IT and the strange case of missing business value
    1. 1.1 Introduction: positioning IT
    2. 1.2 Fallacy one: ignoring the IT amplifier effect
    3. 1.3 Fallacy two: riding to IT success by being first mover
    4. 1.4 From dotty.com to dot.coma: the new rules fallacy
    5. 1.5 The ‘all reading off the same hymn sheet’ mistake: misalignment and performance inhibitors
    6. 1.6 Fallacy five: ‘but we have strong planning processes’
    7. 1.7 Fallacy six: it’s plug and play – IT as a fire-and-forget missile
    8. 1.8 Fallacy seven: outsourcery – become a virtual organization
    9. 1.9 Fallacy eight: our distinctiveness makes comparisons irrelevant and learning unlikely
    10. 1.10 Conclusion
    11. References
  9. 2 Plotting the course: where we need to be
    1. 2.1 Introduction
    2. 2.2 The first benchmark: direction – strategy and the strategic use of IT
    3. 2.3 The second benchmark: organization, people and IT function
    4. 2.4 The third benchmark: development and project management
    5. 2.5 The fourth benchmark: delivery of on-going operations and infrastructure
    6. 2.6 Conclusions
    7. References
  10. 3 Baselining the enterprise
    1. 3.1 Introduction
    2. 3.2 An appraisal of the organization and resource capability
    3. 3.3 A review of alliances and partnering agreements
    4. 3.4 An assessment of the current IT infrastructure and architectures
    5. 3.5 Readiness for the introduction of new technology
    6. 3.6 Governance issues for the management of projects and resource utilization
    7. 3.7 Conclusion
    8. References
  11. 4 Putting the pieces together: getting IT from A to B
    1. 4.1 Introduction
    2. 4.2 Rules of engagement
    3. 4.3 The delivery plan
    4. 4.4 Planning and prioritization
    5. 4.5 The resource plan
    6. 4.6 Managing the team
    7. 4.7 Communications plan
    8. 4.8 Risk management plan
    9. 4.9 Business process re-engineering
    10. 4.10 Conclusion
    11. References
  12. 5 Dealing with the IT strategy navigation challenge
    1. 5.1 Introduction
    2. 5.2 Integrated navigation: an overview
    3. 5.3 Getting a dashboard view: the IT cost/contribution model
    4. 5.4 A balanced IT scorecard can really help
    5. 5.5 New measures are needed
    6. 5.6 What is a ‘balanced business scorecard’?
    7. 5.7 How to develop a scorecard
    8. 5.8 The IT scope of the scorecard
    9. 5.9 Risks in measurement systems
    10. 5.10 Emerging benefits
    11. 5.11 Putting the scorecard to work: integrated performance management
    12. 5.12 Building in the IT perspective
    13. 5.13 Illustrative case: international finances and property services company (IFAPS)
    14. 5.14 Conclusion: building a navigation scheme
    15. References
  13. 6 Delivering sourcing strategy for IT and e-business
    1. 6.1 Introduction
    2. 6.2 IT outsourcing: towards a routine mode of managing
    3. 6.3 A mixed track record
    4. 6.4 Managing the risks in outsourcing IT and e-business
    5. 6.5 Contextual risks: competitiveness, strategic intent and vendors
    6. 6.6 Building to contract: pitfalls and pick-me-ups
    7. 6.7 Post-contract management as risk mitigation
    8. 6.8 Sourcing IT capability: how to make the vital decisions
    9. 6.9 IT sourcing: emerging practices and prospects
    10. 6.10 Conclusion
    11. References
  14. 7 Change and delivery 1: mobilizing the organization
    1. 7.1 Introduction
    2. 7.2 The dimensions of transformation: e-business as an example
    3. 7.3 Managing the change process: beyond the quick fix
    4. 7.4 Managing the shadow track: a political approach to IT-enabled change
    5. 7.5 Conclusions
    6. References
  15. 8 Change and delivery 2: managing IT-based business innovations
    1. 8.1 Introduction
    2. 8.2 IT-based business innovation revisited
    3. 8.3 The example of ERP implementation: record so far
    4. 8.4 ERP: efficiency or transformation?
    5. 8.5 ERP, the CIO and IT function: asleep at the wheel?
    6. 8.6 On being wide-awake: core IT capabilities
    7. 8.7 Implementation as innovation: ‘dolphins not whales’
    8. 8.8 Conclusion
    9. References
  16. 9 Delivering business strategy: the criticality of infrastructure
    1. 9.1 Introduction
    2. 9.2 Case study one – CitiPower: strategy, infrastructure and the role of a programme office
    3. 9.3 Case study two – Charles Schwab: building the engine room for on-line investing
    4. 9.4 Case study three – Macquarie Bank: supporting strategy with infrastructure across seven groups
    5. 9.5 Case study four – what the IT services market can provide: Vistorm
    6. 9.6 Conclusion: lessons from the cases
    7. References
  17. Index

Product information

  • Title: Making IT Count
  • Author(s): Nancy Olson, Leslie Willcocks, Peter Petherbridge
  • Release date: June 2013
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136386800