Introduction
In order to have excellent an IT system, companies need to have clear objectives to be achieved. Design of systems is usually in a specific way, and consideration should emphasize on aspects of technicality. Employees should be involved in the process, engaging them allows for learning at the very best and helps in instilling change in them. It is of great importance to integrate organizational change within IT organizational program structure. It is a clear-cut view in that IT decisions are more effective and an easily executable. In measuring IT strategies, human perception is of vital importance. The basis of this discussion will focus solely on IBM Company (IBM, 2011).
Current IT operating technology
IBM is a company that deals with provision of varied IT solutions in the aspect of hardware, software, consultation in business and IT services. The main goal of IBM Company is to integrate all these services into business solutions that can satisfy the needs of the customer. The current operating technology in IBM is known as a smarter planet. This technology employs use of smarter systems in achieving economic growth and sustainable development. The smart systems are intelligent and more interconnected with ability to think for themselves. In developing smarter systems, one requires more conscious in shift management, which is more of a collaborative approach. A new challenge in organizations is the need to remain successful in doing business. In order to achieve this, organizations have to be smarter in the way they provide services to their clients (IBM, 2011).
Some fundamental needs put into consideration in performing in smarter planet or environment can be as listed below.
Turning information into insights
Organizations all over the world have loads of information at their disposal hence the need to turn these data to valuable insights through rapid and informed decision-making.
Effectiveness and efficiency in driving enterprise operations
Slow growing environments require precise decisions in doing more with less and aiming at lowering costs hence reducing complexity of the problem.
Increasing agility
Organizations that thrive on smarter planets do so with the support of business models, which are innovative hence making them, be ahead of their competitors.
Empowering the people through connections
In order to be innovative there has to be collaboration from all quarters in an organization. Thus, it is important to embrace social technologies throughout the whole value chain. (Kleinrock, 2005).
Product and business service innovation
The challenges for organizations are the frequent expectations for delivery of smarter products that are more innovative.
Risk management and security compliance
Organizations that thrive on smarter planets need to cope with the risks that are evident in the smarter planets and form solutions on how to mitigate or prevent them (IBM, 2011).
Technology employment, effectiveness and contribution to organizational or customer success
IBM company employs different types of technologies in contribution to organizational success, among them are.
Enterprise Architecture
This is a system that IBM uses by its management for analysis, planning of an action and execution in a much more efficient and faster way with clear-cut goals. This architecture offers IT and business stakeholders with fast hand solution in the way to collaborate for better requirements. Another solution, which can be achieved by use of this architecture, is that it brings about improved compliance and makes project solutions more practical and it is easier to predict the project outcomes.
Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
This IT architectural approach integrates business centric links, continuous business tasks, and or services. The benefit of using this architecture is that it brings value to every stage of the approach that deals runs from departments to enterprise initiatives.
Cloud computing
This is an evolution in IT for businesses and communities to create new ways in approaching different tasks and enable more efficient and collaborative computing models. Cloud computing technology helps in increasing production capacity without improving on the existing infrastructure, acquiring new workforce, or any additional licensing on the new software. Another benefit brought about by cloud computing is the provision of computation ability, software capability, accessibility of data and storage provisions that are not end-user knowledge capabilities.
Dominant IT strategies and tactics
The dominant IT strategies employed by IBM include the following.
Business Continuity and Resiliency Services
IBM offers this strategy in optimizing the continuity in business and how well to comply with set out objectives. It also helps in cases where unanticipated disasters occur by enabling quick recovery from the effects. Business continuity is a very important aspect in success related to business operations. This strategy helps in ensuring the continuity in business operations, protection of data and integration of risks of operation in IT management strategies.
Data Centre Services
This strategy involves the reduction in cost, improvement in efficiency of service delivery and helps in transforming existing data centers to a much more intelligent or smarter data centers. These smarter data centers are designed using an end-to-end approach, which enables achievement of the set out objectives hence increasing the product value. The benefit of these data centers is that they enable the IT infrastructure to have a longer lifespan hence increasing solutions for the demands of the system (IBM, 2011).
Integrated Communications Services
This strategy involves the design, management of integrated communication environments, which are networked together to enable business collaboration, flexibility and growth. The benefits associated with this strategy are that it creates more advanced process models that bring a competitive advantage in driving business. Another benefit is that it enhances organizational productivity between individual and workgroups within a collaborative environment (IBM, 2011).
Technological barriers to IT success and organizational contribution
One of the most common barriers in technology is in quality system registration, testing, and certification of the processes. It is arguable that these requirements are unnecessary and are costly. Another barrier is the advent of uncertain success rates; this is because most organizations have not implemented mechanisms to mitigate in cases of failures (Myles, 2011).
IT management change
IT change management can be defined as controlled process that allows changes made to a product or system is done in a structural way. Being an IT unit senior manager, I would ensure that service delivery is done in a coordinated and controlled manner by following the steps through the change management process. The processes would be following the agile approach since it has the ability to thrive within environments, which are hostile to the business (John, 2005).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that in any business change is inevitable. In order to manage the effects that are triggered by change, a business needs to make important investment that will help in cost reduction and boost in effective decision-making. Most of the architectures in technology deployment revolve around customer satisfaction and quality of service accorded (Kene, 2011).
References
IBM. (2011). What is a smarter planet? Instrumented, Intelligent and Interconnected. Ibm.com. Web.
John, S. (2005). National Research Council: Standards, Conformity Assessment and Trade Into the 21st Century. Washington DC, National Academy of Sciences.
Kene, T. (2011). How to Develop an IT Change Management Program. Wikihow.com. Web.
Kleinrock, L. (2005). A vision for the Internet. ST Journal of Research, 2(1):4-5.
Myles, B. (2011). IT Management: An Agile Approach to Change Management. Baselinemag.com. Web.