Using A Company Of Your Choice: Determine The Strategic Busi

Using A Company Of Your Choice Determine The Strategic Business Goals

Using a company of your choice, determine the strategic business goals. Develop an IT strategy that aligns to the business goals. You can use the balanced scorecard approach or you can develop your own method for defining and aligning the IT strategy to the business strategy. You will need to cite at least two credible sources that will provide justification for your strategy or approach. Finding a company: If you are employed, it is best for you to use your current place of employment so you can practically apply the concepts in this assignment. Alternatively, you can use a nonprofit organization or any other organization you may have ties or access to. Your IT strategy should include: Business Goals and Objectives List at least two or three specific business goals for the next year or two with an explanation of the business’ rationale for the goal. List an objective for each business goal to explain what the company needs to do to achieve the goal. IT Strategies aligned with business goals and objectives List one or two IT strategies for each business goal These should be recommended strategies that would enable the business goals and objectives to be achieved. If your company already has IT strategies, you may provide an analysis and justification or new recommendation for each of the strategies. Organizational Structure Describe the structure of the organization including: Organizational design Organizational culture Leadership factors (the types of leadership displayed within the company) Business processes Physical layout (i.e., how many offices, virtual offices, international locations) IT Infrastructure Describe the current IT infrastructure including: Hardware Software Network IT resources This should be a high-level overview IT Challenges Describe internal and external challenges IT faces in meeting the business needs Include social and/or ethical considerations Risks Describe risks IT might face when implementing change As you develop your strategy, you may want to consider the following: An effective IT strategy will enable the business operations, helping business leaders achieve business goals more efficiently and effectively. Focus on top priorities. Take the time to understand organizational issues, how they are related, and how they affect performance. Determine what will happen if nothing changes and where IT can have the greatest, positive impact. Identify how IT supports business processes. The business is relying on their capabilities to achieve the business goals. The IT strategy should include a plan for supporting those business capabilities, creating efficiencies, and competitive advantage for the business. Define IT priorities and governance for IT. Without priorities and a process for IT governance in place, progress will be slowed. An agreed upon plan for governing IT will enable the decision process. Understand the challenges. Improving processes and increasing efficiencies through IT implementation also requires behavioral and sometimes organizational change. With these changes come inherent challenges. Understanding and planning for those challenges will increase the chance of success in meeting the business goals. Note: You will use the information from this assignment to develop an executive summary of your IT strategy in Module 7. Write an 8–10-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M6_A2.doc. By Wednesday, November 28, 2012, deliver your assignment to the M6: Assignment 2 Dropbox. This assignment is worth 300 points and will be graded using a rubric.

Paper For Above instruction

Selecting a suitable organization is fundamental to developing an effective IT strategy aligned with business goals. For this exercise, I have chosen Amazon, a global leader in e-commerce and cloud computing, which provides a comprehensive case relating to strategic business goal setting and IT alignment. Amazon’s strategic goals focus on customer satisfaction, innovation, market expansion, and operational efficiency, which directly influence its IT strategy development.

Amazon’s primary business goals over the next few years include: 1) Enhancing customer experience through personalized services and faster delivery, 2) Expanding its global market presence, especially in emerging markets, and 3) Innovating with new technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation to improve operational efficiency. These goals are driven by the rationale to maintain competitive advantage and adapt swiftly to market changes while fostering customer loyalty.

To achieve the goal of improving customer experience, an objective is to optimize recommendation algorithms and streamline logistics. Amazon strategies include deploying advanced data analytics and machine learning models to tailor product suggestions and investing in distribution centers to ensure faster delivery times. These IT Strategies enable Amazon to reinforce customer-centric operations and stay ahead in e-commerce.

Market expansion requires robust global supply chain management and localization capabilities. Amazon’s IT strategies here involve scaling cloud infrastructure through Amazon Web Services (AWS) to support international operations and employing multilingual support systems. These IT initiatives facilitate adaptation to local markets and foster seamless cross-border commerce.

Innovation in technology, such as AI and automation, supports operational efficiency. Amazon’s IT strategy encompasses investing in robotics within fulfillment centers and developing AI-powered customer service tools like chatbots. These strategies reduce operational costs and enhance service quality, aligning with organizational goals.

Organizational structure at Amazon is characterized by a functional design, emphasizing decentralization and autonomous teams aligned with specific business units. The company fosters a culture of customer obsession, innovation, and agility. Leadership exemplifies transformational leadership, inspiring change and continuous improvement. Amazon’s business processes are highly automated, with integrated supply chain systems and digital platforms supporting global operations.

The physical layout includes numerous fulfillment centers worldwide, offices in major cities, and virtual workplaces. The organization maintains a high level of IT infrastructure, including data centers, enterprise software systems, and cloud services through AWS. Hardware includes servers and IoT devices; software spans enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) systems; networks are highly redundant and secure.

Internal challenges involve integrating legacy systems with new solutions and maintaining data security amid rapid growth. Externally, Amazon faces competition, regulatory scrutiny, and ethical concerns related to data privacy. Social considerations include ensuring fair labor practices in fulfillment centers.

Risks associated with IT change include potential system downtime, data breaches, resistance from employees, and compliance challenges. Implementing new technologies requires careful change management, stakeholder engagement, and risk mitigation strategies.

A comprehensive IT strategy tailored to Amazon's objectives emphasizes supporting core business capabilities through scalable and innovative technology solutions. Prioritizing IT projects that directly impact customer satisfaction and operational efficiency is crucial. Implementing strong governance frameworks ensures alignment with organizational goals and effective decision-making. Understanding organizational behavior and overcoming resistance are pivotal in successful IT transformation.

In conclusion, aligning Amazon’s business goals with targeted IT strategies across organizational structure, infrastructure, and risk management enables sustained growth and competitive advantage. The strategic integration of IT fosters operational excellence, enhances customer experiences, and drives innovation, positioning Amazon for continued success in a dynamic global market.

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