Organizational technology plan development and implementation

¶ … Technologies and Strategic Planning for the Organization

The objective of this work is to explore and define plans for organizational technology including managers and individuals in the use of new and emerging technology.

An organizational technology strategy should include the goals of providing timely access to information and should seek opportunities to improve work processes. Further, technology projects should have an emphasis on data integration. Technology strategies for the organization should include the deployment of secure and reliable information systems. The organizational technology strategy should deliver the services in a responsive and cost effective manner and leadership should actively lead information technology strategy planning and deployment across the organization.

CURRENT TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

Accountability and review are both extremely important components in a successful strategy. Activities involved in accountability and review include: (1) improving the communications of progress updates; (2) Application and refinement the use of performance measures; (3) Communication of the results of measured performance; (4) Reporting progress to multiple audiences including council, users, and technologists; (5) Monitor and report on the implementation of the strategic plan; and (6) Reviewing and refinement in a manner of updating the strategic plan on an annual basis.

VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS

Leadership in strategic technology planning for the organization will necessarily remain open and even seeking at all times in the direction of new advances in technology that will enhance the organization's effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, stability, and profitability. The individual in the organization who is responsible for strategic planning of technology can benefit from the advice of Sacha Chua (2007) who, in the work, entitled: "How to Talk to Execs and Clients about Social Media" published online the website the Orange Chair, in which it is stated that one must know the differences between: (1) technology, (2) features, (3) benefits and (4) value, when presenting information to both executives and clients of the organization concerning social media in the organization in order to provide examples that are concrete of all four of the above stated approaches.

Michalik (2008) states in the work entitled: "Uses of Emerging Technologies in 2008 and 2009: Virtual Worlds for Children" that at least one of the uses of emerging technology in the two years ahead will not be high tech "at least not on the surface: the technology underneath the surface can be quite complex..." According to the New York Times article entitled: "Forget Second Life: The Real Virtual World Gold Rush Centers on the Grammar-School Set" which states that in attempting to duplicate the success of "blockbuster Web sites like Club Penguin and Webkinz, children's entertainment companies are greatly accelerating efforts to build virtual worlds for children. Media conglomerates in particular think these sites -- part online role-playing game and part social scene -- can deliver quick growth, help keep movie franchises alive and instill brand loyalty in a generation of new customers." (New York Times, as cited in Chua, 2007)

According to analyst at the research firm eMarketer, Debra Aho Williamson, "Get ready to total inundation." Williamson estimates that approximately 20 million children will become members of virtual worlds by 2011, which, is up from the present 8.2 million. Chua states that the factors making virtual worlds so obviously lucrative are those of: (1) quick growth; (2) brand loyalty; (3) future customers; and (4) proven success. (2007) This thinking strategy is reiterated in the statement of Chua who states that in terms of benefits: "Kids are a great way to show some of those benefits, because kids pick up the technologies that have good WIFM value. Here's an example: At a recent kick-off meeting, one of the clients mentioned that he saw his daughter using del.icio.us to coordinate a school project with some of her classmates. Using del.cio.us. they could quickly put together and share relevant sites. And hey, if his daughter could do that, maybe people in his company could too." (Chua, 2007) Advice stated by Chua in this area in integrating social media into the organizations includes the following: (1) Listen Well: You need to pick up and use their vocabulary. You need to watch how they react. People give you plenty of cues: you just have to listen. (2) Focus on people and value: not just the technology. The technical details come later, when you're' talking to it for implementation; and (3) Tell stories whenever possible. They make your benefit and values statements concrete. (Chua, 2007)

MANAGING CHANGE

The work of Allan E. Alter, entitled: "Innovation Makes Emerging Technologies Pay Off" published in the CIO Insight Journal (2005) relates that 5.4% of corporate budgets are specifically spent on innovation" and "73% of it departments are involved in new product and service innovation." Alter additionally states: "28% of companies are early adopters of information technology and 68% of companies have received significant payoffs from adopting emerging technology." (2005) Finally Alter relates that 64% say that emerging technologies "play an integral role in supporting corporate innovation." (2005) Alter reports a survey conducted among corporations and states that the most important finding is: "Emerging technology doesn't make companies innovative, instead, innovative companies makes emerging technology valuable. Not only are innovative companies more likely to be early adopter, but it executives at innovative companies are almost twice as likely to report significant payoffs than those who work for companies they do not consider innovative." (Alter, 2005) it is critically important to note the statement of Alter (2005): that companies who are innovative:

don't depend solely on incentives and culture; they rely on process, too. Companies where emerging technologies pay off are far more likely to have procedures and processes for quickly implementing promising new technologies. Such companies are also twice as likely to measure the business value of a new technology after they deploy it. Finally, innovative companies are far more likely to deploy new technologies. Of the 30 emerging technologies we surveyed, just one -- speech/voice recognition -- has been deployed more frequently by companies that are not innovative. Usually, innovative companies are at least twice as likely to deploy any of these technologies; in some cases, such as grid computing and self-healing computing, the ratio is as much as 9 to 1 or 10 to 1. Given that innovative companies are not only more likely to deploy emerging technologies, but are better at implementing them, it seems they are in a good position to use it not only to remain innovative, but to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage, in years to come." (Alter, 2005)

The work of Bean (2004) entitled: "Emerging Technologies Still Emerging" that "new technology can give your company an edge but with the it downturn still more down than up, it may be awhile before the sector gets hot again..." (2004) Bean states that in the "wake of rampant investments in new technology products and firms during the late 1990's and early 2000's, Fortune 1000 (F1000) businesses are showing greater caution than ever when it comes to incurring potential risk. With tens of millions of dollars in software investments sitting around unused, underused, or with companies no longer in existence, but F1000 buyers are looking to take the safe route." (2004)

The work of Gavin Williams entitled: "Dynamic Computing Benefit and Pitfalls" states that dynamic computing is an approach that combines a series of best practices along with smart technology, helping enterprises be more agile by automatically scaling up or down, depending on the real-time business needs. As the enterprise changes, dynamic computing helps enterprises bring new capabilities online more quickly and in a more cost-effective way. Thus, companies are able to run very tight and lean with technology that adapts to their needs." (2008) Examples provided by Williams of dynamic computing include the ability of the organization to "react to sudden spikes in demand rapidly and efficiently in an automated fashion, ensuring consistent availability of critical business processes. With the ability to 'expect the unexpected', the dynamic computing systems of a global bank were able to detect a surge in demand instantly. Rather than failing the service level agreement, the company was able to automatically bring additional capacity online to cope with the demand. They were also able to track for subsequent actions like billing." (Williams, 2008)

Another example stated by Williams includes the use of 'one-click scaling' by a "division of the investment banking department in the Tokyo branch of a bank with the intention of expanding a pilot program to other offices on a global scale. The transition was achieved seamlessly with no downtime for any of the existing users with the automated it systems kicking in during the roll-out. Another possibility in the area of retiring old applications is collaboration Williams states: "Rather than switching the functionality off all at once, the collaboration platform is kept operational but steps are put in place to accelerate its decommissioning. Services are automatically scaled down and moved to a lower SLA with higher cost for support, all without interfering with any live transactions running on the application. When the last user logs off the old system, the Business Collaboration Manager sends an email to the it department confirming that it is no longer needed." (2008) Williams finally state that dynamic computing can enable innovation through enabling it departments to shift "from a 'light on' operation to a proactive, forward-looking approach." (2008)

SOCIAL CONTRACT

The work of Edward M. Rizzo and Leslie a. Worsley entitled; "Emerging Technologies and the Internet Enable Today's E-Workforce" states that with the changes occurring in today's workforce "management requires a new way of thinking. The tools driving organizational effectiveness shave changed drastically in recent years in order to meet the needs of an ever-evolving workforce." (2001) a larger percent of the workforce is comprised of professional employees whom are "more mobile, and there is a growing dependence on temporary or contract employees to ensure adequate staffing levels." (Rizzo and Worsley, 2001) Rizzo and Worsley state that to this end more and more employers are depending on emergent technologies in facing staffing challenges including the Internet. While "traditional businesses have prevailed...the Internet has nevertheless transformed some of the fundamentals of the workforce management and marketplace." (Rizzo and Worsley, 2001) the Internet provides the means of delivery of management solutions "directly to the corporate desktop via a Web browser. This new approach has many names - outsourcing, netsourcing, application hosting, application service providing (ASP - but they all mean the same thing: flexibility." (Rizzo and Worsley, 2001)

Another application that may be used in keeping track of employees tasks and productivity are 'data collection terminals' which is critical to achieving operational excellence and improving employee productivity. Included in data collection terminals are: (1) Touch-screen Kiosks; and (2) mobile computing devices. Touch-screen kiosks "provide a bridge between the organization and the workforce, both capturing workforce information and extending organizational information back to the employee. Mobile computing devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) "are widely accepted as tools or contact and task management. However, workplaces are beginning to realize that these devices have capabilities that extend much further." (Rizzo and Worsley, 2001)

Also stated as an emerging technology becoming more popular in use is 'biometric' technology while "once the exclusive province of ultra-secret, high-tech government facilities and science fiction movies, is ever increasingly one of the most pervasive and popular technologies used for efficient and accurate data collection." (Worsley, 2001) it is related that many organizations shy away from institution of biometric technology due to the association with "fingerprint reading, criminality, or the FBI. However, biometric technology is available in less intrusive forms including voice recognition, iris scan and hand geometry readers." (Rizzo and Worsley, 2001)

GLOBAL ISSUES

In order to smoothly deploy any technology across the organization the manager must necessarily consider 'Device Relationship Management' (DRM) which is a "...new genre of software infrastructure...designed to facilitate predictive maintenance and improve revenue streams from consumables and support, as well as monitor usage of network printing devices. DRM solutions encompass remote diagnostics and remote data monitoring, and can be implemented to scrutinize usage within the enterprise as well as establish real-time communications between the enterprise and suppliers of repair and maintenance services for networked copiers and printers." (InfoTrends, 2008) InfoTrends offers ten steps to building a DRM Sales Strategy, which include:

1) Making the determination of which elements of a DRM solutions already exist in the product and service portfolio "and aggregate those elements into a cohesive offering;

2) Using the 80/20 rule, schedule executive-level discussions with the 20% of customers who account for 80% of business;

3) Based on the assessment of the product and service portfolio and key customer needs, make a determination of where the organization falls on the continuum of DRM offering and if weak, focus toward expanding them;

4) Once having consolidated an array of DRM elements into an aggregated offering that meets the largest part of the requirements of the customers, develop a compelling presentation for customers that articulates that value offered in this area;