Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) has been developed to aid in recognizing appropriate portfolio of computer based application and relevant information processing activities to support organizations’ information needs. SISP is not a single solution or method for IS planning but an umbrella term for host of methods and techniques that are more or less based on different paradigms of world, organizations, and humans. Characteristic for available SISP methods is their focus on a single organization.
Two Core Arguments:
First:
At a minimum, a firm’s information systems investments should be aligned with the overall business strategy and in some cases may even become an emerging source of competitive advantage. While no one disagrees with this, operations management researchers are just starting to study how this alignment takes place and what the measurable benefits are. An issue under examination is how a manufacturer’s business strategy, characterized as either “market focused” or “operations focused,” affects its ability to garner efficiency versus customer service benefits from its ERP investments.
Second:
Companies can best achieve IS-based alignment or competitive advantage by following a proactive, formal and comprehensive process that includes the development of broad organizational information requirements. This is in contrast to a “reactive” strategy, in which the IS group sits back and responds to other areas of the business only when a need arises. Such a process is especially relevant to ERP investments, given their costs and long-term impact. Seegars, Grover and Teng have identified six dimensions that define an excellent SISP process.
1. Comprehensiveness .Comprehensiveness is “the extent to which an organization attempts to be exhaustive or inclusive in making and integrating strategic decisions”.
2. Formalization. Formalization is “the existence of structures, techniques, written procedures, and policies that guide the planning process”.
3. Focus. Focus is “the balance between creativity and control orientations inherent within the strategic planning system”.
4. Top-down flow. SISP should be initiated by top managers, with the aid of support staff.
5. Broad participation. Even though the planning flow is top-down, participation must involve multiple functional areas and, as necessary, key stakeholders at lower levels of the organization.
6. High consistency. SISP should be characterized by frequent meetings and reassessments of the overall strategy.
If in case i will be hired and tasked to develop a SISP for a particular company, these are the following questions that I will going to prepare for the said meeting. The following questions that I have mentioned below are significant and helpful in developing a SISP in a company.
1.Why Plan?
We all plan at some time in our lives and when we do, it’s usually for one of two basic reasons. One is we want to accomplish something, some goal, be it practical or idealistic. Or we want to avoid or prevent something, such as hardships. In planning we use whatever facts we have to help us make our best guess about the future and choose the best and most practicable steps to accomplish our goals. In order for a business to be successful, there needs to be a road map for success. A strategic plan helps to provide direction and focus for all employees. It points to specific results that are to be achieved and establishes a course of action for achieving them. A strategic plan also helps the various work units within an organization to align themselves with common goals.
2. What is the company profile?
It is very significant to be oriented with the firm's history, number and quality of its human, financial, and physical resources organizational and management structure, past, current and anticipated performance, and its reputation, and the standing of its goods or services. In other words to know first the different company products and operations that the company have to have easy way in developing SISP.
3. what are the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the company?
It is also pertinent to be familiar with the company’s vision and mission in SISP implementation because it serves you in carrying out leadership role, unifying efforts and building alignment and loyalty among employees. Mission tells you the fundamental purpose of the organization. It defines the customer and the critical processes. It informs you of the desired level of performance. A Vision outlines what the organization wants to be, or how it wants the world in which it operates to be. It concentrates on the future. It is a source of inspiration. It provides clear decision-making criteria. Objectives could cover growth, profitability, technology and some offerings however goals are ultimate time-based measurements to be achieved by implementing strategies in pursuit of the company's objectives
4. Why does a company needs a strategic information systems planning?
Strategic information systems planning is relevant to know with the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications that will assist an organization in executing its business plans and realizing its business goals.
5. what are are the critical success factors of the company?
In SISP implementation we must identify also the Critical Success Factor which is necessary for an organization or project to achieve its mission. It is a critical factor or activity required for ensuring the success of a company. In any organization certain factors will be critical to the success of that organization, in the sense that, if objectives associated with the factors are not achieved, the organization will fail - perhaps catastrophically so.
6. What are the strength and weaknesses in implementing SISP?
trength and weaknesses must also identify to know are the positive or negative aspects of the external and internal environments that are under the direct control of a firm. Listing of a company's strengths and weaknesses are a normal part of any attempt at strategic information systems plan (SISP) for virtually all companies. Strengths are those things that your company does well which help you perform your jobs, deliver value to your customers and/or give you an advantage over your competition. It is important to determine your weaknesses to get them out in the open, with everyone in basic agreement that these are actually weaknesses, so the team can determine what to do about each one, if anything.
References:
http://scm.ncsu.edu/public/facts/facs060329.html
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1238296
http://www.jmis-web.org/articles/v13_n1_p35/index.html
http://www.ebrc.fi/kuvat/Makipaa_paper.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment