[Hidden-tech] IT issues in business

[David Korpiewski]

Hello everyone,

    I'm taking PMBA (Professional Masters of Business and 
Administration) courses, and our current assignment is to get some 
feedback from IT managers and Business managers in regards to what they 
feel are the main issues in IT as well as some statistics as to things 
such as how much businesses spend on IT and major IT projects.

    So I was wondering if there are any IT managers or Business Managers 
out there who could take 5 minutes and fill in this questionnaire?  The 
results of the questionnaire are kept confidential as my team and I will 
be looking at the results to find trends and will compose a final report 
on what we find.

    If you would be so kind as to fill out the questionnaire, please 
post back to me privately so we don't fill up the mailbox of everyone, 
and please tell me what your position is within your organization, if 
possible.

I thank you kindly in advance,
David



1.. What do you consider the top five most important IT issues where you 
work? Here are some possible answers to give you ideas....

    a.. Managing systems development and systems project management
    b.. Managing computer operations, including the computer center
    c.. Staffing, training and developing IS skills
    d.. Providing technical services
    e.. Educating the non-IS managers about IT
    f.. Educating the IS staff about the business
    g.. Supporting end-user computing
    h.. Initiating and designing specific strategic information systems
    i.. Infrastructure planning, development, and control
    j.. Incorporating the Internet and electronic commerce into the business
    k.. Managing system integration including the Internet, intranets, 
and extranets
    l.. Partnering with the executive level that runs the business
    m.. Managing outsourcing
    n.. Proactively using business and technical knowledge to seed 
innovative ideas about IT
    o.. Creating business alliances with vendors and IS departments in 
other organizations
    p.. Providing new computing environments (e.g., wireless)


  2.. What is the organizational structure of the company?  Does the CIO 
report to the CFO (is there a CIO?) How do they govern IT?


  3.. Approximately what % of revenue is IT spending?


  4.. Who manages the IT budget?  If it is separated between IT 
organization and business units, what are the allocation criteria?


  5.. Does AMB outsource IT functions? Which ones and what are the pros 
and cons of outsourcing this function?


  6.. Please give a brief overview about successful IT projects.  Have 
any IT projects failed?  If yes, why did they fail?


  7.. What are the IT projects that are planned for the next 2 years? 
Are these projects implemented out of necessity or to provide strategic 
advantage?







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David Korpiewski                     Phone: 413-545-4319
Software Specialist I                Fax:   413-577-2285
Department of Computer Science       ICQ:   7565766
University of Massachusetts Amherst
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