Assignment:
IS/IT Strategy
Coursework: Assessment
1. Introduction
This assessment is an individual assignment. The assignment has two sections (Part A and Part B): in Part A, you are required to write a scholarly academic article based critical engagement with a chosen topic; part B focuses on critical discussions of key factors that need to be considered for a medium-term corporate strategy.
• Part A
The purpose of the task is to understand the business significance of Big Data and Smart City, and explore their connection with business strategy. Write a research article critically analysing IS/IT strategy frameworks/models. Investigate the nature of IS/IT strategies that successful firms/cities undertake taking advantage of Big Data and Smart City concept. You are required to focus any one of the following topics:
• Information Communications Technology (ICT) as an enabler for next generation of public services
• Business value of Big Data
• Part B
The objective of Part B is to formulate business process/ objectives and critically evaluate strategies pertaining to a city with particular reference to information systems and information technology applications. Few years back ICT systems/solutions were decentralised. Presently, it is much more sensible to share data and to have shared systems. The new approach to sense, process, model, and store data is opening substantial market because of the size of the data. In this regard, you are assigned/ required to imagine a fictitious organisation belonging to healthcare or retail in the context of a smart city concept.
Your primary task is to propose and critically analyse business strategy, IS/IT strategy pertaining to the chosen organisation considering ICT enabled social inclusion. You can make relevant assumptions such as population, economy, annual turnover, market share, products/services, contribution to GDP etc. You are required to define and discuss the structural identity and analyze the organization using appropriate concepts and strategic decision-making models in relation to IS/IT strategy. The critical aspects of IS/IT strategy such as demand, control framework and supply concerning the organisation should be justified. You should define the various strategic choices available and identify the barriers to implementation. You are also required to initially analyse any key characteristics of the sector to which the identified organisation belong.
The assignment must include a critical discussion of any key factors and important themes that need to be considered in the formulation of a medium-term corporate IS/IT strategy for the identified organisation.
2. Intended Module Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the assessment, the student will be able to:
i. Assess the need for change within an organisation and propose appropriate tactics and strategies with particular reference to information systems and information technology applications and projects
ii. Demonstrate a mastery of the complex skills and knowledge necessary to evaluate one or more strategic decision-making models.
iii. Critically define the strategic choices that face organisations, using advanced skills in conducting research.
iv. Critically identify the barriers to the implementation of strategic choices.
3. Deliverables
You should prepare an assignment of approx. 5,500 words in length excluding appendices and references that includes, but is not restricted to, the following.
• Part A
a. Produce an article covering the following aspects of research (approx. 1700 words):
• approach to the problem and research questions, objectives
• theoretical framework; rigor of literature review
• methods or empirical analysis techniques, used data sources
• key findings and conclusions
• the importance of the research from the theoretical or empirical point of view
• Part B
b. A brief profile of the sector to which the identified organisation belongs - including any assumptions made as described previously (approx. 700 words).
c. A brief background of the identified organisation - organisational details pertinent to the assignment (approx. 500 words).
d. Assess the need for IS/IT interventions within the identified organisation with particular reference to information systems and information technology applications. (approx. 800 words).
e. A critical analysis of the identified organisation using appropriate concepts and strategic decision-making models, in relation to IS/IT strategy (approx. 1000 words).
f. A critical analysis of the strategic choices when compared to another company (a real-world business) of your choice within the same sector. Provide an analysis of chosen real-word company using appropriate concepts and decision making models (approx. 800 words).
Your assignment must be referenced using CU Harvard style of referencing and well organised/structured.