Manage Information System part 2
Today Information Technology (IT) has become an essential part of almost everything: from small business to big business; From retail business to online; from banking to manufacturing; from private company to government offices etc. IT is changing societies to the same degree as the Industrial revolution did a hundred years ago. IT allows organizations to work more efficiently and maximize productivity; IT enables faster communication, electronic storage of records and expedites information sharing; IT automate manual processes and reduce costs of labor; these change forces IT managers to understand more about business so they can continue to use technology to enable the business to achieve its goals. However, many IT managers are still focusing on the technical rather than the business issues.
According to an 2010 industry study, over 80% of IT projects has failed to provide value to the business; many IT managers are still focusing on acquiring hardware and software which are costly but provide little benefits to the company; many IT organizations are still operated independently from the business rather fully integrate; many IT strategies are created separately, not be a part of business strategy. The study concluded that the root cause was a majority of IT managers came from technical areas such as computer science; software engineering, computer engineering and they did not know much about the business. The study recommended companies to hire of graduates from the Information System Management (ISM) program to be IT managers instead of other programs. Suddenly the demand for IT workers with business skills is increasing faster than supply.
As global companies must operate 24 hours 7 days a week so it is imperative that their Information systems work effectively and reliably. Information systems managers (ISM) have a critical role as they are responsible for all information system aspect, from software development, network security, database administration to desktop and Internet operations. They must plan and coordinate activities such as installing and upgrading hardware and software, programming and systems design, implement computer networks etc. They manage the maintenance, and security of networks. They analyze the information needs from an operational and strategic perspective and determine immediate and long-range personnel and equipment requirements. They assign and review the work of their people and continuous learning to keep up with the latest technology to ensure that the company remains competitive.
Information System Management (ISM) graduates often start as project managers then move up to senior positions such as directors and some go all the way to Chief Information Officer (CIO). Project managers develop requirements, budgets, and schedules for information technology projects. They manage projects from development through implementation, working with developers, internal and external customers, vendors, and IT specialists (SQA, CM, or Security etc.). IT directors manage a variety of IT services such as help desk, which users can call with questions or problems. They may manage specific hardware and software systems to ensure the availability, continuity, and security of data and information. The CIO often focuses more on strategy, evaluate new technologies, and determine how these technologies can help the business of the company. The CIO supervises all IT managers and make sure that everything work well with the business. When a new technology has been identified, the CIO makes decision on implementation strategies, including cost-benefit and returns on investment analyses, and presents those strategies to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or president of the company.With software as a service, cloud computing, social networking and the popularity of smart-phones, tablets, and many new devices that need to be connected, the demand for graduates in Information System Management (ISM) will be in high demand for many years to come.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
