38. Shared Practice WestJet – Aligning IT and Business PART II
Discussion 2: Shared Practice—WestJet—Aligning IT and Business Strategy
Review a selection of your colleagues’ posts from earlier in the week, focusing on the best practices and key activities that are necessary in successfully managing business information systems. By Day 7, respond to two or more of your colleagues in one or more of the following ways: (COLLEAGUE POSTS ATTACHED)
Explain the similarities and/or differences between your own findings and those identified by your colleague. Why do you think your analysis of the case was similar to or different from your colleague’s?
Share what you believe could potentially impede or enable an organization when aligning its IT and business strategy.
Offer additional best practices or tools organizations could use in aligning IT strategy and business strategy. Explain why those are important and effective. What specific steps does an organization need to take to make sure it continuously monitors how well these strategies align?
Please be specific, and use citations and references as appropriate and necessary.
REFERENCES:
Andriole, S. J. (2017). Managing technology in a 2.0 world. IT Professional,14(1), 50–57.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
In this article, Andriole discusses the need for IT managers to be prepared to meet head-on the challenges the evolution of organizational infrastructures will inevitably create for businesses in the years ahead.
High, P. (2015). Proceed with caution: The new normal: Now what? CIO Insight,115, 30–33.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article discusses four specific key business practices that business executives and IT leaders apply in order to keep their organizations competitive and profitable, especially during times of economic uncertainty.
Munro, M., & Khan, S. (2016). WestJet Airlines: Information technology governance and corporate strategy (Ivey Publishing Case Study No. 9B13E020).
Retrieved from https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/pl/23289610/23289643/19566bfefe8dac6854ac46a8371e299e
This case study examines the efforts of WestJet Airlines to update its information systems to enhance the organization’s competitiveness. The study focuses on the decision to hire an experienced CIO, how this individual developed an IT restructuring strategy, and how this individual worked to convince key stakeholders of the advantages of the new IT governance model.
Sabegh, J., Ali, M., & Motlagh, S. M. (2016). The role and relevance of IT governance and IT capability in business—IT alignment in medium and large companies.Business & Management Review, 2(6), 16–23.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article focuses on the impact information technology and business strategy have on each other and how they can be optimally aligned, especially with respect to IT architecture and infrastructure, resource management, performance measurement, and knowledge sharing.
Review: Drnevich, P. L., & Croson, D. C. (2016). IT and business level strategy: Toward an integrated theoretical perspective. MIS Quarterly, 37(2). 483–509.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
In this article, Drnevich and Croson argue the importance of integrating information technology with both functional and business-level strategies and goals, in order to improve organizational flexibility and performance. The authors explore the implications of IT and business strategy alignment on maintaining existing organizational capabilities, as well as capitalizing on future opportunities.
Review: Jin, K. G., & Drozdenko, R. G. (2015). Relationships among perceived organizational core values, corporate social responsibility, ethics, and organizational performance outcomes: An empirical study of information technology professionals. Journal of Business Ethics, 92(3), 341–359.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This study examines the relationships among and perceptions associated with organizational attitudes, values, performance outcomes, and corporate social responsibility, comparing and contrasting them within both organic and mechanistic organizational structures.
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