Reference no: EM133546025
Problem
CASE STUDY:
The company I have chosen to examine is Apple Inc, a company I am familiar with as a customer and as a student. The company is known as a technology company that is involved with hardware, software, and other devices from phones, apps, and other services. (Ovide, 2021) I will take this time to identify how Apple is able to integrate its information systems and information technology into the organization's overall business strategy. Apple, just like all companies, wish for cohesion between the IT department and the business strategy as the smooth pairing suggest increased benefits. Shimel (2014) state the performance of IT correlates with profitability, market share, and productivity, as IT increases, the rest will follow suit.
If we take Apple for example, we can see how the company has grown to be one of the most recognized companies in the technology market, based on its use of information technology and its information systems. Ovide (2021) reports how Apple expanded its services beyond phones into everyday home gadgets and subscriptions to app downloads and headphones based on the consumers' needs. This ability to change for customers is challenging as it requires cooperation from the company and its members. This cooperation is vital especially in the IT department and business, even both the CIO and CEO. Suer (2015) concluded that a CIO and CEO must have a positive relationship for a business strategy aligned with technology to work, because these members are responsible for pushing either technological progression or regression. And it is clear how Apple was able to achieve this harmony from the senior level leadership down to its front-line employees. Podolny & Hansen (2023) report how the late Steve Jobs split the division of the company to have each department based on specialties but also emphasized the need for experience and expertise. These qualities were required to lead and make decisions for each respected department. This meant that department members were not arguing over what others should do but rather focus on its needs. For example, the finance team did not tell what the engineers needed to make, and the engineers never told the finance team what to price its creation at. And I experienced this even down to the front officer workers, as I took my phone to be repaired at my local Apple store. I took my phone and was met by one team helping me login and register my device into the system. I then was met by a second line of employees diagnosing the problem. From there, a group of engineers looked at the phone in the back of the store, and finally a member of the first team explained what the best course of action for my phone was. I saw with my eyes the cohesion and effectiveness of the organization of the company, but as well the competence and the integration of the technology to a business strategy.
Task
A. Compare the examples your colleague shared of potential consequences when IT and business strategies are not aligned to the ones you posted. Share your thoughts on the reasons for the differences between your examples.
B. Ask a clarifying question about the integration of IT/IS in your colleague's organization. Share any insights gained from their organization's approach.