Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Why An IT Strategy Is Important For Holding A Competitive Superiority

By Grace Philpotts


The pace of change in modern society is astonishing but perhaps nowhere faster than in the field of information technology. It is almost impossible to keep up with new developments. New software and hardware become available on almost a daily basis and information technology departments have their work cut out for them. To take maximum advantage of new developments it is vitally important for all organizations to have valid IT strategy.

Many people think that a strategic plan is simply a list of objectives that must be achieved. This is not the case. Strategic plans are more in the realm of predicting the future and setting goals that aim to use future developments to the advantage of the organization. This entails a detailed analysis of the various environments that have an influence on the organization.

Information technology specialists have their task cut out for them. This field changes so fast that it is virtually impossible to stay up to date with new developments and plans for future developments. Many developers keep their plans secret because they do not want their competitors to get wind of new technology. However, regardless of how challenging it is to keep updated, it remains very important to maintain strategic plans for information technology departments.

There are many good reasons why organizations simply have no choice other than to keep their information technology up to date. New releases of software and new devices are often incompatible with older versions, rendering the organization unable to share data and to link up with other systems. New technology also often provides new methods of communication and even marketing and it is imperative to keep up to date simply to remain competitive.

Information technology strategic plans need to be reviewed and updated continually. In fact, larger organizations employ staff that has no other responsibility other than to manage the strategic plan. This is because the developments in this field change so fast that it is extremely difficult to remain proactive. Strategic planners therefor need to be not only futurists, but also realists that are able to make drastic changes at short notice.

Developing strategic plans for information technology is difficult and complex enough, but planning for the implementation of such plans can be a nightmare. Upgrading can cause chaos and it requires a great degree of skill to plan for the installation of new hardware and software while, at the same time, ensuring that productivity is maintained. Users need to be trained on the new technology and steps must be taken to ensure data integrity.

Appointing a person to manage the information technology strategic plan is an important matter that should be done with great circumspect. The manager of this plan needs to be trained in strategic thinking as well as in the field of information technology, including outsourcing some work to a managed services company. It needs to be somebody that has a keen interest in new developments and it must certainly be somebody with a solid background in research.

Without an IT strategy no organization can hope to remain competitive. It is vital to stay abreast of developments and to use new technology efficiently. Consumers are skeptic about businesses that seems to be out of touch with the modern world. New devices and software often allow organization ways in which to reach new markets and to improve their service levels.




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