Reference no: EM133261870
Assignment - Conserving the Corporation
Problem - Several innovations in data management are reshaping the IT landscape. Among them are: server virtualization, storage virtualization, desktop virtualization, artificial intelligence, cloud applications, and the near future network virtualization. As an executive, we will ask ourselves, and discuss, the extent to which the virtualization of processing portends the removal of a dedicated IT staff.
We will discuss the extent to which the CIO is no longer the manager of a dedicated expert staff, but fully engaged in vendor management and service oversight. Finally we should ask ourselves the extent to which bricks and mortar will even define the corporation as an entity. The corporation, or at least its administrative wing, is more of an abstract. Does it matter if the processing engine of your corporate data is in Bangladesh or Nairobi? Does it matter what flag the vendor's employee's salute or what god they worship? Once we have achieved global network infrastructure stability and redundancy, we may find ourselves seriously questioning our understanding of "corporation" or even employment.
Discuss - What is the balance between sustaining the interests of the corporation's stakeholders (shareholders. Executives, the board of directors) and sustaining the interests of our staff? Is our traditional staff (bound by the "contractual" arrangements) significant when weighed against the interests of the stockholders? This is not an easy or obvious question. Start with Eisenhart. The discussion is not about server virtualization. That is a footnote to illustrate how technology renders more efficient that which people once did.
The readings here occupy three niches: virtualization technology; the nature of the corporate structure and its relevance to workers; and managing disruption. I include a discussion of Charles Handy. He was prescient regarding the future of work. The interest theory article should be read to understand how interests are managed through the contract. Agents work for principals. Both are subject to the terms (limitations) of the contract.