IT Acquisition Management and Health IT Integration Guide

IT Acquisition Plan for Showtime Video Store

Identification of a Problem

Organization: Showtime Video Store
Component: Business Capture Group

The problem is that no real information technology security measures are employed in the video shop. There is very little awareness of necessary IT security measures among the current management, which is why an effective IT security plan and structure must be implemented to prevent copyright infringement and theft.

Business Activities and Processes Affected by the Problem

The problem directly affects all products and videos available to customers — both online and on-site.

Actual Performance (Current Baseline)

The guidelines associated with the information security strategy should incorporate contingency actions that will allow the video shop to endure and respond to any disruption or crisis. Actions such as data storage and extraction using data-warehousing and data-mining techniques, preserved equipment, and implementation of a Database Management System (DBMS) are of great importance for enabling consistent overall functionality.

Target Performance

Assemble the organizational information security strategy for the video shop: Managerial executives of the video shop should provide appropriate guidance based on their own experience and expertise, systematize information security guidelines, generate efficient methodologies and mechanisms, augment procedural methodologies, and ensure accurate filing of all procedures.

Ensure employee acknowledgment: To adhere to strict and dedicated implementation of the video shop's information security guidelines, every employee should understand the significance of these guidelines and provide an explicit signed acknowledgment of them.

Ensure confidentiality agreements: Clearly formulate confidentiality agreements that will protect the video shop in situations where external parties are engaged in ventures that require strict correspondence involving classified information.

Guarantee the security of premises and informational equipment: Workplace materials — including procedural filings, technical data, intranet hardware and software, wiring, and other vital components — should be addressed with the utmost priority, and protecting them should be of the highest importance.

Performance Gap

The performance gap lies clearly in the lack of IT measures and the low level of awareness of those measures at the administrative level. This leads to a deficit in IT applications needed to improve security.

Organizational KPIs Affected

Sales revenue, return on assets, return on investment.

Principal Stakeholders

Chief Executive Officer, Video Distributors, Manager of IT Department.

Tentative Solution Strategy

Investigate the feasibility of current security measures applicable in video shops with similar structures. Use those strategies as a basis to customize IT security measures and then implement them with backup contingency plans applicable to different risk scenarios.

Acquisition Need Confirmation

IT security measures will definitively address the current shortcoming in this video shop's security posture, and IT services will become increasingly necessary over time.

Documentation of Requirements

Objective of the Requirements: Ethics

1. Workforce Considerations and Obligations in the Security Matrix

All personnel should understand their obligations, which are aligned with the expectations of the video shop. As encountered by Siemens, a corruption inquiry prompted management to instill ethical values and accountability from the lowest level of personnel to the highest — in contrast to the usual practice of training top-tier staff first and then moving downward through the organizational hierarchy.

2. Generating E-Business Evaluation Programs with Regard to Legal Rights and Competition

• Website portal
• Use of passwords and firewalls
• Use of back-up drives
• Attaining distribution rights from suppliers
• Attaining online business ventures

3. New Functionalities for E-Business Solutions

When initiating a profit-generating venture, it is common practice to consider all associated factors — both positive and negative. Although the factors for a video-based venture will differ in nature compared to those of a conventional venture, the most effective approach during the planning phase is that the primary objective of the evaluation should be congruent with and focused on the anticipated success factors.

4. Existing Business Shortcomings and Pitfalls

There are few if any personnel currently employed in the firm who can assert and implement the necessary security measures. The video shop is a new business and therefore has a very limited network of suppliers and contracts from distributors.

5. Cost Limitations

The anticipated cost of an entirely new IT security system will be upward of $200,000 for the initial investment. Upgrades to these security systems will also cost between $2,000 and $30,000 on a quarterly basis. Monthly maintenance costs will depend on the overall software applied for the security matrix and its scope.

6. Other Limitations or Constraints

All employees will need to be trained on the new requirements that IT acquisition will bring to the business. A new department — whether an IT department or an R&D department — will need to be established to focus on the upgrades and advancements of the IT acquisition over time.

7. Security and Privacy Requirements

Establishment of a network security structure and contractual agreements with IT experts in the industry.

8. Number to Be Implemented

The solution must be provided for the entire online database as well as the physical shop location.

9. Schedule

The acquisition can be completed within three to four months in order to achieve heightened security quickly and generate early financial returns.

10. Other Requirements

Regular training sessions for the workforce; attainment of contractual agreements with distributors.

Alternative Solutions and Analysis

Objective: Reduce the amount of time required to prepare graphics for proposals and to integrate graphics with text.

Alternative Solution #1: Ethics and Training

A contemporary training schedule was formulated that encompasses the ethical obligations of personnel, granting them an accurate understanding of their individual responsibilities associated with their roles. Similarly, certain ethical challenges were faced at HP, creating difficulties for staff. Management should therefore formulate a training schedule capable of addressing these issues. These decisions benefit both the video shop and its employees because they encourage healthy participation from staff, which ultimately leads to overall improvement in the organization's functioning.

Alternative Solution #2: Use E-Business Structures

It is important to assess the commodities or services that can be traded through a video shop. Services, compared to physical commodities, are more readily exchanged through a video platform due to their intangible nature. Therefore, when assessing the details of a video-based venture, one should understand every detail carefully. Evaluate every commodity or service that can be traded, assess the pricing of different items within that commodity or service category, and if feasible, gather information on the reputation of that commodity or service among consumers. Always bear in mind that pricing criteria differ from venture to venture, and it is good practice to assess the psychology behind pricing decisions rather than focusing solely on absolute figures.

Alternative Solution #3: Design a Web Portal

It is straightforward to recognize that an online video shop venture would generally require a website. The common practice is to use an existing domain name, which either involves an annual outlay or a lump-sum payment if the domain is already owned; the annual arrangement is generally more cost-effective. When purchasing a domain, the question of renaming the website in line with the venture arises. After arranging a website, a web hosting solution is required to present the website on the World Wide Web. Appointing a specialized entity that offers web hosting and assists with any prospective issues is a very efficient way to secure an internet-based venture. To build a website there are two approaches: hiring a graphic designer to construct a creative and novel site — which could be important for the brand image of a video shop — or using software that assists in website construction by offering templates and layouts.

IT Acquisition Confirmation: Each alternative solution described above requires the acquisition of IT services from an external IT service provider selected in open competition.

Comparative Analysis of Alternatives

Alternative #1 — Ethics and Training: Can meet all requirements; feasible; supports the enterprise architecture with no conflict. Risk includes potential conflict between business ethics and social ethical standards. Costs are the highest of the alternatives but remain affordable, requiring regular sessions with trained IT professionals. Creates increased business awareness. Ranked #1.

Alternative #2 — E-Business Structures: Can meet all requirements; feasible; supports the enterprise architecture with no conflict. Risk includes lack of prior experience potentially leading to amateur e-business constructions and rigid structures in the initial stages. Higher costs, but justified by the urgency and necessity of IT application. Offers long-term benefits for conducting business beyond time and space limitations, enabling the business to scale nationally without investing in additional tangible assets. Ranked #2.