Management Information Systems Managing Information Technology in the Business Enterprise

Real World Case Studies Appendix Real World Case Studies

Introduction Based on real situations Your opportunity to: Integrate your knowledge of major concepts Apply your knowledge to real world situations

Solving Case Studies Simplest approach – read the case and then answer the questions More formal approach Identify problems, opportunities, and symptoms Separate problems/opportunities from symptoms (determine the root cause of the problem) Identify major systems components most involved in the problems/opportunities

Solving Case Studies (continued) Statement of Problem What are the major problems or opportunities facing the organization (define the problem) Summary of alternative solutions Identify several alternative solutions to the identified problems/opportunities

Solving Case Studies (continued) Evaluation of alternative solutions Evaluate the alternatives using evaluation criteria that reveal the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative Rationale for the selected solution Which solution best meets the evaluation criteria? Why did you select this solution over all others? What made this solution number one rather than number two or three?

Solving Case Studies (continued) Information system design proposal Propose a design for any new or improved information system required by the selected solution. Use one or more tools of analysis and design to illustrate your design proposal.

Solving Case Studies (continued) Implementation Plan Propose a plan for implementing your chosen solution

Solution Constraints Information The amount of data and information is limited. Assumptions You will be making a number of assumptions. Identify and explain the reasons for any major assumptions you make.

Solution Constraints (continued) Time The more time you have, the more information you can gather, and the more analysis you can perform. But remember, time constraints are typical, so make the best use of the time you have.

Rescuing Failing IT Organizations The Feld Group Rescuing Failing IT Organizations The Feld Group’s Mission Why do large business organizations with large IT departments and many years of IT experience need the help of a company like the Feld Group?

The Feld Group (continued) What is the goal of the Feld Group when called in to a company? Is this goal appropriate to the situations they usually face? Why can Charlie Feld say that diagnosing a company’s IT problems is the easy part of his team’s mission?

The Feld Group (continued) The Feld Group’s Approach Evaluate the Feld Group’s five dimensions approach. Is it appropriate to the situations they usually face?

The Feld Group (continued) What can be done about “the gap” that Feld sees in business/IT? Do you agree with him that outsourcing or decentralizing IT is not the way to solve the problem? Why do you think the Feld Group finds that many companies have a “Tower of Babel, full of fossils and fads” in IT? What can be done to solve this problem in business?

The Feld Group (continued) Turning around the IT Organization Is the turnaround project used by the Feld Group a good turnaround device? What are the benefits and limitations?

The Feld Group (continued) Why does Feld prefer a “publish and subscribe” model for IT in business, rather than the more usual “service model”? What are the issues involved? What is your position on Feld’s view?

The Feld Group (continued) Do you agree with how Feld likes to improve the IT organization in a company? What are the benefits and limitations? Feld says of IT: “It’s time this profession grew up.” Is this a fair assessment?

From Failure to Success in Information Technology Delta Airlines From Failure to Success in Information Technology Changing IT at Delta Why did Delta need something like Y2K to help change its IT operation?

Delta Airlines (continued) How did the investment in Priceline.com help change the state of IT at Delta? How do you rate Delta’s leadership position in IT as claimed by CEO Leo Mullin after reading this case?

Delta Airlines (continued) The Role of IT at Delta Do you agree with Leo Mullin’s position on the role of IT at Delta and for the airline industry? How do you rate the websites of Delta mentioned in this case in terms of Delta’s online performance?

Delta Airlines (continued) How is IT helping to improve the customer experience at Delta? How do you rate their performance?

Delta Airlines (continued) The Future of IT at Delta Do you agree with the way Delta is using IT to improve its relationship with its employees? What else could they do? How can Delta use IT to deal more efficiently with its suppliers and other business partners?

Delta Airlines (continued) How else could Delta use information technology to improve air travel for its customers? What is the business and customer value of your proposals?

The Reinvention of an Information Technology Company IBM Corporation The Reinvention of an Information Technology Company Changing the Business Model How did IBM change its basic business model under CEO Louis Gerstner?

IBM Corporation (continued) Why did IBM change from closed proprietary systems to open-standards technologies? How has the change to open standards changed IBM’s lines of business and business performance?

IBM Corporation (continued) From Success to Failure to Success What was the basis for IBM’s success before the 1990s? What were the reasons for IBM’s dramatic failure in the early 1990s?

IBM Corporation (continued) What business and technology strategies and choices are the keys to IBM’s current success? Why have those strategies made a difference?

IBM Corporation (continued) The Future of IBM and the IT Industry How do IBM’s competitors view its current business model? How does IBM view its new business strategies? What is your view?

IBM Corporation (continued) How have IBM’s competitors been affected by IBM’s transformation? How should they compete with the new IBM business model? What are the challenges and dangers that could sabotage IBM’s success in the future? What should they do to meet these challenges?

Using Information Technology for Competitive Advantage Zara and Inditex Using Information Technology for Competitive Advantage Zara’s Business Model How does Zara’s business model differ from other large apparel retailers?

Zara and Inditex (continued) Is Zara’s business model the key to their current success compared to their competitors in the retail apparel industry? Does Zara’s use of information technology give them a competitive advantage in their business model?

Zara and Inditex (continued) How important are store managers and their use of IT to the success of Zara’s business model?

Zara and Inditex (continued) Zara’s Challenges What business challenges might Zara face as it continues to expand in Europe and elsewhere? How could Zara use IT to help meet such challenges?

Zara and Inditex (continued) Should other major apparel retailers in the U.S. market and other countries copy the Zara business model and use of IT? Should Zara expand its present limited retail e-commerce presence or continue its emphasis on expanding its physical retail store locations?

The Challenges of Online Marketplace Success eBay Inc. The Challenges of Online Marketplace Success The World’s Online Marketplace How well does eBay provide “the world’s largest online trading platform, where practically anyone can trade practically anything”?

eBay Inc. (continued) Why do you think eBay has become the largest online market for certain products, such as autos, collectibles, computers, photo equipment, and sporting goods? How do people make a living trading on e-Bay? What does it take to be an e-Bay Powerseller, or have someone sell for you?

Why has eBay become such a successful, growing marketplace? eBay Inc. (continued) The Business of eBay Why has eBay become such a successful, growing marketplace? How does eBay Inc. generate such large revenues and profits from its online global trading marketplace compared to other businesses?

How important is information technology to the success of eBay? eBay Inc. (continued) How important is information technology to the success of eBay?

The Challenges of Social Capital eBay Inc. (continued) The Challenges of Social Capital Why is the success of an online marketplace like eBay so dependent on its supply of social capital? How has eBay succeeded in creating and managing its marketplace so it has been able to attract and retain substantial social capital?

eBay Inc. (continued) What challenges does eBay now face in continuing to attract and retain the social capital it needs to succeed as an online marketplace?

Changing the Online Marketplace eBay Inc. (continued) Changing the Online Marketplace Why is eBay developing fixed-priced selling and competing with Amazon.com? Is this a good business strategy?

eBay Inc. (continued) Why is eBay encouraging large companies like Disney, Home Depot, and IBM to trade on its site? What are the business benefits and challenges of this strategy? What can eBay do to “continue to expand aggressively into new categories, geographies, formats, and customer types” and still retain the social capital it needs to succeed as an online marketplace?