Effective information technology (IT) governance mechanisms: An IT outsourcing perspective

Effective IT governance will ensure alignment between IT and business goals. Organizations with ineffective IT governance will suffer due to poor performance of IT resources such as inaccurate information quality, inefficient operating costs, runaway IT project and even the demise of its IT department. This study seeks to examine empirically the individual IT governance mechanisms that influence the overall effectiveness of IT governance. Furthermore, this study examines the relationship of effective IT governance, the extent of IT outsourcing decisions within the organizations, and the level of IT Intensity in the organizations. We used structural equation modeling analysis to examine 110 responses from members of ISACA (Information Systems and Audit Control Association) Australia in which their organizations have outsourced their IT functions. Results suggest significant positive relationships between the overall level of effective IT governance and the following mechanisms: the involvement of senior management in IT, the existence of ethic or culture of compliance in IT, and corporate communication systems.     

Managing information technology (IT) for one-to-one customer interaction

A one-to-one marketing paradigm has emerged that suggests organizations will be more successful if they concentrate on obtaining and maintaining a share of each customer rather than a share of the entire market, with information technology (IT) being the enabling factor. This paper presents four key elements that provide the necessary steps that allow an organization to position its people, business processes, and information systems to establish and take advantage of this emerging paradigm. The key elements are: (1) business process analysis, (2) integration and redesign of customer data, (3) IT-enabled customer interaction, and (4) accessibility/transmission of organizational information. Further, this paper discusses the importance of integrating these four IT elements for achieving effective customer interaction.     

Leveraging information technology to achieve the IT2000 vision: the case study of an intelligent island

Although many developing and developed countries have major initiatives to promote the use of information technology (IT), Singapore is one of the few countries which not only has a comprehensive IT2000 vision, but which is also taking proactive steps to make the vision a reality. This paper examines how Singapore is currently leveraging IT applications to achieve the IT2000 vision. It also explores some of the uses of IT that will be deployed in the near future. Specifically, this paper discusses the use of IT applications to provide one-stop, non-stop government and business services, promote cashless transactions, provide more options for leisure, and facilitate easy commuting.     

The role of information technology in achieving the organisation's strategic development goals: A case study

The role of IT in achieving the organisation's strategic development goals has been an area of constant debate. This paper describes the experiences of John Nicholls Builders Ltd, a Cornish building firm, in their attempt to achieve their strategic development goals through the adoption of IT. The implementation stage of the project involved setting a flexible programme and timescale from the start. The company adopted a bottom up approach whereby potential users were consulted and involved in the process. Also the support of top management staff was crucial for the successful transition to the new system. Although there was no single ready-made solution that could fit the organisations requirements, they were able to identify appropriate construction industry software packages and integrate them through development of an intranet and database system. Now, there is greater management control, all departments have greater access to information, enabling them to function more effectively and efficiently, and since projections are more accurate or now available, management can make long-term strategic plans. These improvements and developments to the business system have improved operational efficiency, turnover and profitability of the organisation.     

巧用信息技术实现学科整合

课堂教学效率影响着学生的学习效果和知识能力掌握.在实际教学过程中,由于教学方法不适宜等多种原因,我国技校课堂教学效率提升需要综合考虑教材内容和学生学习特点,本文分析了我国技校教学现状,同时剖析了技校教学效率低的根源,有针对性地提出了应用信息技术,提升技校教学效率举措.     

IT2000: A critical appraisal of Singapore's state-wide strategic planning process for information technology

In April 1992, the Singapore Government announced its information technology (IT) vision and plan for the next 15 years to turn Singapore into ‘an intelligent island’, providing a strategic regional switching centre for expertise, goods, services and information. At the heart of this plan is a national information infrastructure that would capitalize on information as a key factor of production and an important ingredient for enhancing the quality of life of its people. Code named ‘IT2000’, the plan was developed by 60 senior managers at the National Computer Board in 1991 with participation and inputs from about 200 business and industry leaders, domain experts and academics. This paper describes the background of Singapore's drive into the information age, the IT2000 planning process, the roles of various participants and the main recommendations of the plan. An evaluation of IT2000 is made in terms of its objectives, its unanticipated results and its impacts on industry participants. Implications and lessons are drawn for strategic IT planning at the national or sectoral level.     

Benchmarking information technology practices in small firms

Much attention has focused recently on benchmarking, a practice by which firms learn from other firms to help improve their own business processes. Numerous benchmarking tools exist for small firms and they typically cover a range of activities, including strategic leadership, quality, and performance. However, most pay no or little attention to IT. Thus, this study aimed to identify IT practices in small firms that could be included in benchmarking tools. The study commenced with a review of existing literature to identify major areas of IT management relevant to small firms. This literature guided multiple-case study research of four engineering firms to identify IT practices. A second phase of the study evaluated evidence from 30 small engineering firms with between 20 and 100 employees. Six practices differentiated IT leaders from IT laggards. Three practices reflected senior management involvement and the other three reflected technological capability.     

电子信息技术在企业安全管理中的应用

电子信息技术的迅猛发展,为信息流通带来了极大便利。电子信息技术以其方便、快捷的特点,已深入到企业管理的各个方面。但就目前的情况来看,电子信息技术的高速发展为企业信息安全管理带来了一些困难。基于此,本文以企业信息安全管理存在的问题为切入点,对电子信息枝术在企业安全管理中的应用进行了深入探讨,以期为强化我国企业信息安全管理提供一些参考和借鉴。     

Sustaining strategic IT advantage in the information age: how strategy paradigms differ by speed

At the dawn of the Information Age, the competitive dynamics in numerous industries are more intense than ever before. We look at the implications of competitive dynamics to IT strategies. We summarize the basic logic of various well-known (IT) strategy methods, particularly regarding sustainability of an advantage and conclude that (IT) strategy theory incorporates precious little about competitive dynamics. We then explore a recent strategy framework, Sustainability Analysis [Calif. Mgmt Rev. 34 (1992) 29; Strategy and the Search for Rents: The Evolution of Diversity among Firms, 1994; Renewable Advantage, 1998]. Sustainability Analysis distinguishes three ‘ecologies’ that entail important differences in strategies and timelines for sustaining (IT) advantage. We review these ecologies and draw insights for IT strategy.     

Information technology (IT) in Saudi Arabia: Culture and the acceptance and use of IT

The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), a model of the user acceptance of IT, synthesizes elements from several prevailing user acceptance models. It has been credited with explaining a larger proportion of the variance of ‘intention to use’ and ‘usage behavior’ than do preceding models. However, it has not been validated in non-Western cultures. Using a survey sample collected from 722 knowledge workers using desktop computer applications on a voluntary basis in Saudi Arabia, we examined the relative power of a modified version of UTAUT in determining ‘intention to use’ and ‘usage behavior’. We found that the model explained 39.1% of intention to use variance, and 42.1% of usage variance. In addition, drawing on the theory of cultural dimensions, we hypothesized and tested the similarities and differences between the North American and Saudi validations of UTAUT in terms of cultural differences that affected the organizational acceptance of IT in the two societies.     

基于企业网络信息安全的防火墙技术应用

网络防火墙作为确保网络安全运行的重要设备和功能,正在被越来越多网络管理者所关注,作为第一道安全防线．网络防火墙通过对来自公网和内网的各类访问请求进行有效分类和组织,通过过滤、代理、地址迁移等方式来最大限度的阻止网络中的非法人侵和攻击,确保网络系统和各类信息资源、数据的安全。     

如何实现企业网络中防火墙的管理与维护

随着计算机及网络的快速发展,层出不穷的黑客攻击和网络病毒事件使得网络安全问题突显出来。防火墙在确保网络的安全运行上发挥着重要的作用,但是要想使防火墙真正成为企业内部网络的安全屏障,还需要做大量的管理和维护工作。该文从网络安全的现状出发,对防火墙技术进行了深入的研究,对网络管理工作提出了改进的建议和方法。     

先进领域的信息安全技术在企业中实际应用

随着互联网时代的到来,企业上网已经成为一种发展趋势.信息安全技术在提高信息交流的网络化和开放化为人们的生活以及生产带来便利的同时,也带来了许多安全隐患.因此,本文针对先进领域的信息安全技术在企业中实际应用进行分析讨论,并为解决这些安全隐患提出相应的解决措施,仅供参考.     

IT信息集成控制技术在污水处理厂的应用

为提高污水处理厂的信息化程度,提高设备管理和运营管理,开发了一套基于IT信息系统集成控制技术的系统,并运行在实际工程中。本文重点阐述了这套系统开发的背景、系统组成、主要功能等,并在提高自动化程度、柔性化程度,提高系统稳定性,提高自控设备利用率,避免自动化"孤岛"方面得到了验证。     

Modern information technology in an old workforce: Toward a strategic research agenda

As the workforce ages rapidly in industrialized countries, a phenomenon known as the graying of the workforce, new challenges arise for firms as they have to juggle this dramatic demographical change (Trend 1) in conjunction with the proliferation of increasingly modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) (Trend 2). Although these two important workplace trends are pervasive, their interdependencies have remained largely unexplored. While Information Systems (IS) research has established the pertinence of age to IS phenomena from an empirical perspective, it has tended to model the concept merely as a control variable with limited understanding of its conceptual nature. In fact, even the few IS studies that used the concept of age as a substantive variable have mostly relied on stereotypical accounts alone to justify their age-related hypotheses. Further, most of these studies have examined the role of age in the same phenomenon (i.e., initial adoption of ICTs), implying a marked lack of diversity with respect to the phenomena under investigation. Overall, IS research has yielded only limited insight into the role of age in phenomena involving ICTs. In this essay, we argue for the importance of studying age-related impacts more carefully and across various IS phenomena, and we enable such research by providing a research agenda that IS scholars can use. In doing so, we hope that future research will further both our empirical and conceptual understanding of the managerial challenges arising from the interplay of a graying workforce and rapidly evolving ICTs.