Towards a better understanding of information systems strategy options and its link with business strategy
- Authors: Buchanan, Darryl Vaughn
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Management information systems , Strategic planning -- Data processing , Information technology -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10864 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/267 , Management information systems , Strategic planning -- Data processing , Information technology -- Management
- Description: There is considerable evidence that the strategic use of Information Systems can lead to a competitive advantage. There is however, a marked lack of understanding of the options available, as well as the smooth coordination of Information Systems strategy with Business strategy. This paper provides insight into the role of Information Systems and its link with business strategy. It focuses on Information Systems strategy options, and explores the criteria needed for successful Information Systems strategy and Business strategy alignment. The paper presents and examines the results of a study of strategic alignment at Volkswagen of South Africa. Data was obtained from business and Information Technology executives. The result of the study enables Volkswagen not only to benchmark themselves, but also provides direction to enable successful business/IT alignment. It identifies specific actions necessary to ensure that IT is being used to appropriately enable or drive the business strategy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: Buchanan, Darryl Vaughn
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Management information systems , Strategic planning -- Data processing , Information technology -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10864 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/267 , Management information systems , Strategic planning -- Data processing , Information technology -- Management
- Description: There is considerable evidence that the strategic use of Information Systems can lead to a competitive advantage. There is however, a marked lack of understanding of the options available, as well as the smooth coordination of Information Systems strategy with Business strategy. This paper provides insight into the role of Information Systems and its link with business strategy. It focuses on Information Systems strategy options, and explores the criteria needed for successful Information Systems strategy and Business strategy alignment. The paper presents and examines the results of a study of strategic alignment at Volkswagen of South Africa. Data was obtained from business and Information Technology executives. The result of the study enables Volkswagen not only to benchmark themselves, but also provides direction to enable successful business/IT alignment. It identifies specific actions necessary to ensure that IT is being used to appropriately enable or drive the business strategy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
The impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on rural livelihoods: the case of smallholder farming in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Mago, Shamiso
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe , Family farms -- Zimbabwe , Poverty -- Zimbabwe , Rural poor -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Food security -- Zimbabwe , Information technology -- Management , Technological innovations -- Management , Management information systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Dev)
- Identifier: vital:11433 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007185 , Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe , Family farms -- Zimbabwe , Poverty -- Zimbabwe , Rural poor -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Food security -- Zimbabwe , Information technology -- Management , Technological innovations -- Management , Management information systems
- Description: This study seeks to determine the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The study was motivated by the fact that benefits of ICT development still need to be known among rural smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. ICTs have been upheld as catalysts for the promotion of rural livelihoods the world over. The question that remains is whether ICTs in Zimbabwe promote livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Although the Government formulated the ICT policy in 2005, the benefits still need to be known among rural smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The challenges faced by smallholder farmers include limited access to ICTs, high costs in ICT services and lack of ICT infrastructural development in the country. The challenges hindered ICT benefits that are expected to accrue to smallholder farmers. This study is significant in the view that most studies on ICT have focused on the general roles of ICT on rural development without giving particular attention to smallholder farming that has a potential of reducing poverty and promoting food security. For a theoretical lens, the Sustainable Livelihood Approach was used with special attention to Chapman et al (2001)’s information wheel. Regarding methodological issues, the study followed a qualitative research methodology guided by a secondary analysis research design. Data were collected from published reports of government, reports from the Ministry of ICT, internet, journals, newspapers and periodicals. The study established that ICTs promote livelihoods of smallholder farmers through the dissemination of vital information for improvement of agricultural productivity. From the research findings, the study proposes four main recommendations. Firstly, strengthening of ICT policy for effective smallholder farmers. Secondly, the government to organise ICT awareness campaigns directed towards rural people especially smallholder farmers. Thirdly, up scaling ICT Infrastructural development .Finally, a large-scale ICTs and livelihoods research must be commissioned in the country.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mago, Shamiso
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe , Family farms -- Zimbabwe , Poverty -- Zimbabwe , Rural poor -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Food security -- Zimbabwe , Information technology -- Management , Technological innovations -- Management , Management information systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Dev)
- Identifier: vital:11433 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007185 , Farms, Small -- Zimbabwe , Family farms -- Zimbabwe , Poverty -- Zimbabwe , Rural poor -- Zimbabwe , Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Sustainable development -- Zimbabwe , Food security -- Zimbabwe , Information technology -- Management , Technological innovations -- Management , Management information systems
- Description: This study seeks to determine the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The study was motivated by the fact that benefits of ICT development still need to be known among rural smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. ICTs have been upheld as catalysts for the promotion of rural livelihoods the world over. The question that remains is whether ICTs in Zimbabwe promote livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Although the Government formulated the ICT policy in 2005, the benefits still need to be known among rural smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. The challenges faced by smallholder farmers include limited access to ICTs, high costs in ICT services and lack of ICT infrastructural development in the country. The challenges hindered ICT benefits that are expected to accrue to smallholder farmers. This study is significant in the view that most studies on ICT have focused on the general roles of ICT on rural development without giving particular attention to smallholder farming that has a potential of reducing poverty and promoting food security. For a theoretical lens, the Sustainable Livelihood Approach was used with special attention to Chapman et al (2001)’s information wheel. Regarding methodological issues, the study followed a qualitative research methodology guided by a secondary analysis research design. Data were collected from published reports of government, reports from the Ministry of ICT, internet, journals, newspapers and periodicals. The study established that ICTs promote livelihoods of smallholder farmers through the dissemination of vital information for improvement of agricultural productivity. From the research findings, the study proposes four main recommendations. Firstly, strengthening of ICT policy for effective smallholder farmers. Secondly, the government to organise ICT awareness campaigns directed towards rural people especially smallholder farmers. Thirdly, up scaling ICT Infrastructural development .Finally, a large-scale ICTs and livelihoods research must be commissioned in the country.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An investigation of a framework for the implementation of service management in the information and communication technology sector
- Authors: Benyon, Robert Victor
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Support services (Management) , Service industries -- Management , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Communication in management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1137 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002766 , Support services (Management) , Service industries -- Management , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Communication in management
- Description: Service Management (SM) is an integrated, cyclical and collaborative approach to the management of service requirements and levels. It involves the definition of client expectations, the satisfying of those expectations and the perpetual refining of the business agreement (Sturm 2001). SM in the ICT sector is a comprehensive process that extends beyond the development of Service Agreements (SAs). A number of identifiable steps constitute the progressive implementation of a managed services environment, the key components of which are a readiness to provide services, the accurate elicitation, management and satisfying of client requirements and the continual improvements to the business relationship. Unfortunately, a number of SM initiatives fail. These failures can be attributed to a lack of SM understanding, the absence of a fully implemented SM strategy, poor communication and people issues. This research describes an investigation of SM implementation. A number of recognised frameworks are explored and critically analysed. The common strengths of these frameworks and the results of an exploratory pilot study are used to construct an SM implementation framework. This framework is then tested empirically by means of an online survey, and revised in the light of the results of this survey. The framework comprises two distinct phases, namely a Foundation phase and a Managed Services phase. The Foundation phase comprises 8 critical preparatory activities that take a service provider to state of readiness to provide and manage ICT services. The Managed Services phase comprises 5 key cyclical steps for the management of ICT services, including Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation and Review.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Benyon, Robert Victor
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Support services (Management) , Service industries -- Management , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Communication in management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1137 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002766 , Support services (Management) , Service industries -- Management , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Communication in management
- Description: Service Management (SM) is an integrated, cyclical and collaborative approach to the management of service requirements and levels. It involves the definition of client expectations, the satisfying of those expectations and the perpetual refining of the business agreement (Sturm 2001). SM in the ICT sector is a comprehensive process that extends beyond the development of Service Agreements (SAs). A number of identifiable steps constitute the progressive implementation of a managed services environment, the key components of which are a readiness to provide services, the accurate elicitation, management and satisfying of client requirements and the continual improvements to the business relationship. Unfortunately, a number of SM initiatives fail. These failures can be attributed to a lack of SM understanding, the absence of a fully implemented SM strategy, poor communication and people issues. This research describes an investigation of SM implementation. A number of recognised frameworks are explored and critically analysed. The common strengths of these frameworks and the results of an exploratory pilot study are used to construct an SM implementation framework. This framework is then tested empirically by means of an online survey, and revised in the light of the results of this survey. The framework comprises two distinct phases, namely a Foundation phase and a Managed Services phase. The Foundation phase comprises 8 critical preparatory activities that take a service provider to state of readiness to provide and manage ICT services. The Managed Services phase comprises 5 key cyclical steps for the management of ICT services, including Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation and Review.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Investigating the use of the ITIL framework towards IT services delivery at the NMMU
- Authors: Lubambo, Nontobeko
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Computer industry -- Customer services -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9767 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1001 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009657 , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Computer industry -- Customer services -- Management
- Description: The purpose of this research was to investigate what is involved in IT Service Management and how the NMMU can implement it to improve the quality of IT service support and service delivery. The IT Service Management approach was investigated but the main focus was on the Service Support and Service Delivery in the ITIL framework. Higher Education was analyzed to try and measure the maturity level of the ITIL process implementation to see where Higher Education in South Africa is and to determine the gaps. Findings from the empirical study will be presented and recommendations highlighted to Top management and the IT department in order to promote and improve the quality of the IT service being delivered to users and customers. The data was collected and administered by means of a structured questionnaire based on the ITIL Service Capacity Maturity Model and Rick Leopoldi’s alternative Maturity Assessment method. An Association of South African University Directors of Information Technology (ASAUDIT) questionnaire on Service Management was also used to supplement the questionnaire. It was discovered that the implementation of ITIL in most organizations brought about improvements and benefits in the quality of the IT service being delivered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Lubambo, Nontobeko
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Computer industry -- Customer services -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9767 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1001 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009657 , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Computer industry -- Customer services -- Management
- Description: The purpose of this research was to investigate what is involved in IT Service Management and how the NMMU can implement it to improve the quality of IT service support and service delivery. The IT Service Management approach was investigated but the main focus was on the Service Support and Service Delivery in the ITIL framework. Higher Education was analyzed to try and measure the maturity level of the ITIL process implementation to see where Higher Education in South Africa is and to determine the gaps. Findings from the empirical study will be presented and recommendations highlighted to Top management and the IT department in order to promote and improve the quality of the IT service being delivered to users and customers. The data was collected and administered by means of a structured questionnaire based on the ITIL Service Capacity Maturity Model and Rick Leopoldi’s alternative Maturity Assessment method. An Association of South African University Directors of Information Technology (ASAUDIT) questionnaire on Service Management was also used to supplement the questionnaire. It was discovered that the implementation of ITIL in most organizations brought about improvements and benefits in the quality of the IT service being delivered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
An analysis of the information and communication technology initiatives needed to enhance business value at Transwerk
- Authors: Chiambiro, Robson
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Technological innovations -- Management , Organizational effectiveness , Value
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8767 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/486 , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Technological innovations -- Management , Organizational effectiveness , Value
- Description: The study was triggered by a discussion with one of Transwerk’s executive management during an MBA tea break. The discussion was centred on the lack of IT Governance Structure in some organisations that are centrally managed due to geographical location and spreading of branches countrywide. The purpose of this study was to analyse the information and communication technology initiatives that can be implemented at Transwerk by the ICT department to ensure significant value from their information and communication technology investments. This was undertaken by means of a literature and an empirical study. The elements of the information and communication technology initiatives were discussed and the study then analysed the responses in an attempt to determine the initiatives that are currently implemented at Transwerk’s ICT department. The literature study indicated that is it critical for any organisation that needs to be successful should have an integrated ICT Governance Structure. The empirical study found out that the current situation at Transwerk’s ICT department requires attention because their IT Governance Structure does not involve major stakeholders from other business units. Recommendations were made as a result of analysing the literature study and empirical study to ensure the implementation of key initiatives that can add value to the organization.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Chiambiro, Robson
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Technological innovations -- Management , Organizational effectiveness , Value
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8767 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/486 , Information technology -- Management , Management information systems , Technological innovations -- Management , Organizational effectiveness , Value
- Description: The study was triggered by a discussion with one of Transwerk’s executive management during an MBA tea break. The discussion was centred on the lack of IT Governance Structure in some organisations that are centrally managed due to geographical location and spreading of branches countrywide. The purpose of this study was to analyse the information and communication technology initiatives that can be implemented at Transwerk by the ICT department to ensure significant value from their information and communication technology investments. This was undertaken by means of a literature and an empirical study. The elements of the information and communication technology initiatives were discussed and the study then analysed the responses in an attempt to determine the initiatives that are currently implemented at Transwerk’s ICT department. The literature study indicated that is it critical for any organisation that needs to be successful should have an integrated ICT Governance Structure. The empirical study found out that the current situation at Transwerk’s ICT department requires attention because their IT Governance Structure does not involve major stakeholders from other business units. Recommendations were made as a result of analysing the literature study and empirical study to ensure the implementation of key initiatives that can add value to the organization.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
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