Final Assignment: Research Methods In This Course

For The Final Assignment In This Course You Will Research Design And

For the final assignment in this course you will research, design, and deliver a Strategic Information Technology Plan. You will base your plan on the ISM645 Strategic IT Planning Case Study Company Profile. The final assignment will use concepts from the previous weeks in the course. You must support your statements throughout the plan with evidence from your sources. There are a minimum of 5 scholarly sources, including the text, required for this assignment. (The FindIt@AU, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest tools in Ashford Library are good starting points for your search.

It is also highly recommended that you search through the specialized journals in information technology (e.g., Journal of Information Systems Management, Communications of the ACM, International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society, and International Journal of Multidisciplinary Approaches and Studies). (Consult the MISM Credible Resource Guide as well as the recommended resources within this course for search tips and ideas for your research.) The Strategic IT Plan Outline read the ISM645 Strategic IT Planning Case Study Company Profile from the perspective of a Chief Information Officer with the firm and prepare a strategic IT plan to help grow the business over the next three years.

Your strategic plan must be future-oriented and include the following headings and content. An IT Strategic Plan template is provided as a guideline to help you get started. However, do not attempt to ‘fill in the template’ as a way to complete this assignment. There are many elements in the case study that are not in the basic template, but will need to be added and addressed in your plan.

Paper For Above instruction

Development of a comprehensive Strategic Information Technology (IT) Plan is critical for aligning technological initiatives with the broader goals of a company. This paper emphasizes the systematic approach to designing such a plan based on the ISM645 Case Study of MarkO Ltd. The goal is to produce a future-oriented strategy that guides the company’s growth over the next three years, ensuring that IT investments and initiatives support core business objectives.

Introduction and Executive Summary

The initial section of the plan introduces its purpose and provides a concise overview of its contents. The executive summary encapsulates key elements including the strategic direction, vital initiatives, and expected outcomes, providing stakeholders with a clear understanding of the plan's scope and significance. A strong thesis statement concludes this section, asserting the importance of strategic alignment between IT and business goals to ensure sustainable growth.

Strategic Mission, Vision, and Horizon

The plan establishes a clear, succinct mission and vision statement tailored to MarkO Ltd., reflecting its commitment to leveraging technology for competitive advantage. For example, the mission may focus on delivering innovative solutions, while the vision articulates long-term goals such as market leadership in technological innovation. The horizon statement outlines the planned timeline, identifying major milestones and the evolving organizational landscape over the next three years.

Purpose of the Plan

This section clarifies the intent behind crafting the IT strategic plan. It emphasizes the imperative of ensuring that IT developments support overall business growth, operational efficiency, and competitive positioning. The plan aims to provide a roadmap for technological investments, processes, and initiatives that align with the company’s strategic vision.

Corporate Strategy and Environmental Analysis

Building on the Company Profile, this component describes MarkO Ltd.'s overarching corporate strategy and how IT will underpin and enable these strategic objectives. Utilizing strategic tools such as Porter’s Five Forces and SWOT analysis, the plan assesses the external competitive environment and internal strengths and weaknesses. The evaluation considers emerging trends and the potential of strategies like S-curve planning to identify high-growth opportunities and navigate technological disruptions.

Strategic Goals and Initiatives

The plan identifies key strategic goals for short-term (一年), medium-term (两年), and long-term (三年以上) horizons. These goals are designed to enhance organizational capabilities, market positioning, and operational excellence. Three core business initiatives are formulated to support the corporate strategy, such as expanding e-commerce capabilities, implementing enterprise data analytics, and developing innovative product lines supported by cutting-edge IT solutions.

IT Strategy Development

The core of the plan involves defining a comprehensive IT strategy aligned with the business objectives. Each critical IT category—application development, hardware, data management, security, networks—is addressed in detail. The strategy specifies the type of IT organization required, operational models (cost center vs. operational center), and risk profiles. For instance, adopting a hybrid cloud infrastructure might be recommended to optimize cost and resilience, with outlined governance and compliance considerations.

Supporting Business Initiatives with IT Systems

A detailed inventory of IT systems necessary to support each business initiative is presented, with clear linkages mapped to strategic goals. This includes the deployment of customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, data warehouses, and security frameworks, along with timelines for implementation, resource requirements, and anticipated benefits.

Roadmap and Implementation Schedule

The graphical roadmap depicts the phased development and deployment of IT initiatives over three years. It illustrates key milestones, resource allocations, and interdependencies, facilitating strategic coordination. The plan emphasizes iterative progress with regular reviews to adapt to changing circumstances and emerging opportunities.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Metrics are established to gauge the success of the IT plan, such as system adoption rates, data accuracy improvement, security incident reductions, and customer satisfaction scores. These KPIs enable ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement of the strategic initiatives.

Execution, Communication, and Monitoring

An implementation framework describes how the IT strategy will be rolled out, including stakeholder communication plans, project management methodologies, and monitoring mechanisms. Regular updates, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive strategy adjustments are emphasized to ensure alignment and accountability.

Summary and Reflection

The final section reflects on the development process, highlighting insights gained from the Company Profile analysis and identifying areas where additional information would enhance planning accuracy. The reflection underscores the importance of strategic agility and continuous assessment in executing an effective IT plan.

References

• Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Free Press.
• Ross, J. W., & Weill, P., & Robertson, D. C. (2006). Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Henderson, J. C., & Venkatraman, N. (1993). Strategic alignment: Leveraging information technology for transforming organizations. IBM Systems Journal, 32(1), 4-16.
• McFarlan, F. W., & McKenney, J. L. (1983). Information technology emerges as a strategic weapon. Harvard Business Review, 61(5), 98–105.
• Peppard, J., & Ward, J. (2004). Beyond strategic information systems: Towards an IS capability. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 13(2), 167-194.
• Tiwana, A. (2014). The Knowledge Management Toolkit: Orchestrating IT, Strategy, and Knowledge Platforms. Academic Press.
• Markus, M. L., & Loebbecke, C. (2013). The Governance of Enterprise IT. Business & Information Systems Engineering, 55(6), 377-382.
• Samson, D., & Daft, R. L. (2016). Management. Cengage Learning.
• Harrison, J. S., & Lockamy, A. (2019). Strategic planning and information technology: A review and research agenda. Journal of Business Strategy, 40(2), 3-13.
• Ammerlaan, T., et al. (2018). Digital transformation in business: Strategies, processes, and impacts. Journal of Business & Technology, 14(3), 211-233.