Information System Strategy

Information System Strategy Several decades ago, the UAE telecommunication market used to be widely criticized for its slow development, the exceeding extent of the governmental regulating power, and the high cost of the offered services. However, the situation seems to have changed significantly with the appearance of the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company that has become better known as du.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Information System Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Today, the company is, beyond any doubt, the recognized leader in the UAE market of telecommunication providers. According to the specialists’ estimate, du’s customer base comprises of more than 7.5 individual clients and about 80,000 firms that are quite impressive figures for a company which began operating less than a decade ago. Today, du is the recipient of numerous regional and international awards (Kelly Flanagan 2015). The analysi s of the corporate strategy makes one assume that the efficient integration of innovation systems in the company’s performance is one of the determining factors of its success. Information systems have become an integral part of the global environment, and thus, play an important role in the organisational strategy. The implementation of these systems requires careful monitoring and forecasting – whereas some innovations can be applied in a short period, the integration of others might require extra time and effort. According to du’s Sustainability Report, information systems are on the top list of the company’s priorities. Thus, one might note that the development of this field is considered both in the short and long-term perspectives (Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, 2015). It is evident that the company that has already proved to be one of the most progressive IT users is not going to rest on ones laurels. Among the short-term strategies referring to information systems, one should necessarily point out the recently signed agreement that implies the strengthening of collaboration between du and the Project Management Institute (PMI). This initiative is likely to bring a lot of benefits for the company’s performers as du will receive access to the entire global database that the institution currently possesses. The implementation of the following practices is likely to assist in the development of the company’s new projects, Smart City Initiative and Managed Services Solutions. As long as PMI has a reputation of one of the most progressive research centers in the field of IT and information systems, one may suppose, that this cooperation will enable du to find innovative solutions for the projects mentioned above.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to its Chief Corporate Affair s Office, Ananda Bose, the initiative is likely to give du an opportunity to â€Å"generate maximum value† for its clients (Kelly Flanagan, para.3). Meanwhile, du’s CEO, Osman Sultan, in his interview for Entrepreneur, also puts a particular emphasis on the role of information systems in the corporate strategy. While Ananda Bose focuses on the importance of the collaboration with progressive organisations and adopting the best world practices, du’s CEO points out the significance of the Internet’s integration in the existing context. Thus, according to Sultan, the company is planning to perform a contribution to the development of its cloud-based platforms that are considered to be one of the most successful Internet innovations (Thomas 2015). Therefore, the company is decisive to employ all the innovations that appear in the information system market. As to the long-term perspectives, du has a lot of bold ambitions, among which, one can point out their intention to become the regional innovation hub. Thus, the launch of the BabNoor App aimed at facilitation of the communication between family members and educating communities has become the first step on the long way to their ultimate goal. The mentioned above Smart City project is going to be another example of the successful integration of IT in the company’s performance, and, what is more important, in the everyday life of the customers. The rough model of the innovation has been already demonstrated during the UAE Innovation Week. As the Smart City’s preview has shown, the model is likely to offer a series of innovative opportunities including the homes of the future that will be virtually controlled by the owners (Du Demonstrates How Innovation Is Improving Day-to-Day Life During UAE Innovation Week 2015). Nevertheless, one should point out that the benefits of the information resources’ development imply more than the creation of the output that will fit the customers’ demand. In fact, the skillful implementation of the information resources is likely to improve the performance of a company at every level. In other words, it might affect not only the firm’s clientele but its workforce as well.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Information System Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the strategic management discipline lays a particular emphasis on the implementation of information resources in the organisational performance. It is presumed that such an approach can have positive outcomes. First of all, a company can employ information resources in order to optimize the delivery of the product or service it offers to the targeted client. For example, the SelfCare portal that du has recently designed has significantly facilitated the process of company’s cooperation with its clients. With the help of the relevant service, the customers ar e able to get acquainted with all the du’s products both that already exist and those that one plans to introduce. Moreover, the platform enables one to perform the instant payment that particularly appeals to those who search for the time preserving service. The following innovation also has a feedback option that enables the company to gather all the actual data on the customers’ demand and allows performing necessary changes whenever required. Furthermore, the information resources provide an opportunity to improve the inner management structure and the staff’s interaction that can increase the management’s efficacy considerably. Thus, according to du’s Sustainability Report, the corporate workforce is largely encouraged to use the latest IT in their work. It is particularly important to note, that every employee receives an opportunity to improve his or her IT competence with the help of corporate seminars and courses. The company has establish ed a special Innovation Ideas Award that is aimed at inspiring the work staff to work out the strategies of effective implementation of the modern information resources and technologies (Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, 2015). The skillful use of the information resources in du allows the firm not only to improve the quality of the inner performance but to attract the high-qualified specialists from without. Hence, the company’s strong media presence, including their constant update in social networking, lets the worldwide specialists remain aware of the company’s progress, get acquainted with its general policy and targets, that increases the chances of employing professional workers from foreign countries. According to the report, a considerable part of du’s current workforce is comprised of specialists from different countries (Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, 2015). Finally, a business strategy that does not neglect the applicatio n of information resources has good chances to raise its compatibility in the relevant market. There are a lot of examples that illustrate how the successful implementation of the existing information resources has turned a firm into a leader in the relevant field. One can definitely claim that du’s case is not an exception. According to the specialists’ estimate the company now takes the leading position in the UAE telecommunication market which is proved by its profit increase. Du’s Chairman, Ahmad Bin Byat, believes that the successful performance is largely determined by the company’s focus on the information systems implementation and the innovations’ encouragement (Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, 2015).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One might even presume that today, du has no competitors in the regional market. Such an assumption is determined by the fact that the company has been nominated for the GIS Implementation Award. In 2015, du received the following award that was aimed to mark its progress in the implementation of the information systems. The platform GISWORX that was designed by du is likely to contribute significantly to the network planning and improve the conditions for the business analytics in general. According to du’s Senior Vice President of the Information Technology Department, Walid Kamal, the information system has already become â€Å"an integral part† of the company’s operation, and du will keep on working on the development of the new platforms that will allow their customers to benefit from the so-called â€Å"home† services (Du Honored as Pioneer in Geographic Information Systems in GISWORX 2015). Therefore, du’s reasonable approach to the informat ion resource’s implementation has a beneficial effect on the company’s performance at every level. First of all, du has strengthened its company-client connection. Secondly, the information system helps to improve the management activity as well as to attract new specialists from other countries. Finally, the successful integration of the information resources and technologies has determined the rise of the firm’s competitiveness and enabled du to become a recognized leader in the relevant field. It is particularly important to add that the company is aware of the changing character of the information system environment and, thus, it is determined to adjust to the potential transformations in order to maintain its competitive capacity. As well as every other field, the information systems can be most effectively applied on the basis that a company performs an interchange of experience with other organisations. Such cooperation is particularly important regarding large-scale projects. A strategic alliance helps both participants benefit equally providing one another with the existing information database gathered throughout the company’s operating. It seems that from the very beginning, du’s management has realized the necessity for cooperating with other organisations in order to complete it short and long-terms. Thus, in 2009, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced the beginning of its cooperation with du that was supposed to open the new horizons for both the companies. Whereas, du, at that period, was a relatively new player in the information resources field, it already had an efficient platform fitting DEWA’s demand. Du, in its turn, received an opportunity to access DEWA’s fibre optic networks on the basis of which a series of its innovations later appeared (DEWA Enters into Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Du to Lease-Out Part of DEWA’s Dark Fibre 2015). Meanwhile, most of the strategic alliances are normally formed in connection with a particular project’s launch when the existing information resources’ base turns out to be insufficient for the goal’s realization. One has already mentioned du’s strategic cooperation with the Project Management Institution that is likely to help improve its information strategy. Another important alliance that du has recently entered is its strategic collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC). The alliance is determined by du’s intention to develop the Smart City project that requires extra resources and assistance. Thus, ADSIC and du have decided to pool forces in order to improve their performance. Among the short-term aims, they point out the design of a new WiFi UAE network that will offer a client to choose between WiFi and Premium WiFi options. As to the long-term perspectives, the companies have announced their intention to cooperate in order to c ontribute to the development of the regional infrastructure and public sectors (ADSIC and Du Ink Cooperation Agreement 2015). Moreover, one should necessarily note that the provided examples should not be regarded as one-off incidents the strategic alliance issue is included on the company’s priority list. Hence, according to the Sustainability Report, du eagerly considers any chance of cooperation in the field of information systems. The company is aware of the necessity to exchange the experience in order to remain updated in such an unstable environment as IT and innovations. It is important that du announces its readiness not only to use the information resources of their partners but to share the corporate ideas as well. In fact, the companies authorities admit that it is their cooperative attitude that allowed them to launch such projects as du Live!, Pay as You Go, and Wow recharge Card (Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, 2015). Therefore, the example of d u’s case shows that a strategic alliance is an indispensable condition for sustaining and innovating information systems. The phenomenon might be explained both by the process of constant transformations, which take place in the relevant field and the fact that some projects are too long-scale to be carried out successfully without a strategic alliance. In his interview, du’s CEO, Osman Sultan, supports this point of view and announces the company’s willingness to extend its collaboration in the field of information systems (Thomas 2015). As long as the significance of the information systems implementation is undoubted, the question arises regarding the fact how the following implementation can be carried out in such a manner that it becomes an integral part of the corporate strategy. One of the key factors determining the successful implementation is the preceding planning. Thus, one is to work out a strategy that would coincide with the organisational design and would describe the integration of the informational resources at every level of the company’s operating. The analysis of du’s case makes one come to a conclusion that the company has already managed to work out a proper approach. Hence, unlike the global companies that focus on the implementation of information systems in the perspective of the inner hierarchy’s improvement, du realizes its regional character and employs informational resources for the purposes of the client base’s extension. Du’s management, being aware of the specificity of the organisation’s structure, focuses on the attraction of the new clientele via the worked out platforms and services. In fact, one might presume that information resources are the only opportunity for du to become a player in the global market. The relevant approach enables the company not only to attract new customers but to preserve the loyalty of the existing ones as well. The employed informat ion resources allow receiving the latest feedback and performing the necessary actions to maintain the dynamic business process. The compatibility aspect also seems to be worth focusing on in case one is eager to maintain the business process’s agility. Modern information systems enable a firm not only to develop their own services and products but also to perform the profound monitoring of other players’ performance in order to adapt the successful experience and avoid the potentially wrong decision-making. In the case of du, the company’s management seems to be perfectly aware of the unstable character of its leading position, thus, the necessity to follow the progress of the rivals is openly discussed by its leaders (Thomas 2015). Nevertheless, it is necessary to note that one can hardly find any examples of du’s implementation of the information system with a focus on the staffs’ performance. Apart from the particular courses and seminars that are supposed to improve the general IT consciousness, the practical application of information resources to the employees operating is not enlightened. Meanwhile, this aspect is rather important. In fact, modern information resources are likely to facilitate the operation of both a particular department and the company on the whole. Various platforms that allow employees to stay in contact with their colleagues and the front office tend to optimize the management by making the regulation process independent of the location. Another option that information systems provide for the establishment of a dynamic business process and that seems to be neglected by du is the low-cost leadership strategy. Thus, many modern companies benefit successfully from the capacity to stay constantly aware of the pricing policy of their competitors. The following monitoring allows them to adjust their own costs to the customers’ demand and to win the â€Å"competition† due to the low-cost o ffer. In du’s case, the strategy seems to be unemployed as the company is often criticized for being one of the most expensive telecommunication providers in the eastern market. As it has already been mentioned, the information system is a rapidly changing environment. As a result, companies are required to perform constant monitoring process to be aware of the latest trends and tendencies that appear in the relevant context. In order to carry out a successful implementation of the existing information resources, one is frequently required to make some changes in the corporate strategy and to adjust it in accordance with the social needs and demands. According to the Sustainability report, du is aware of the described challenge and keeps working on the effective solutions. Thus, the company has recently established a special department responsible for the Information System integration (Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, 2015). One might suggest that in order to i mprove competitive competence the company can employ a network-based strategy that will help du to strengthen its position in the global market. Another challenge is connected with the company’s intention to become the regional innovation hub. The accomplishment of this aim might require extra efforts in the information resources’ implementation. The company will have to find a way to apply the latest resources to set a contact with the society that can be highly helpful in the evaluation of particular initiatives. Finally, whereas the reducing cost of the information resources might be beneficial for a company that wants to implement them, it may be simultaneously regarded as a disadvantage as it signifies that this option is equally available for any organisation. The recently appeared firms often prove to be more susceptible to the new trends and, thus, show a better performance in the innovation field, while their older rivals might be unwilling to undergo signific ant changes. As a consequence, it is crucial that du lays a particular emphasis on the optimization of its inner structure through information resources. The introduction of some information technologies can imply inner reformation and a shift to the self-managing regime in certain departments. Whereas the practice might seem too challenging, the resistance to transform is likely to be more harmful than the potential outcome of its implementation. Moreover, the long-term perspective of the potential challenges is connected with the Internet platforms gaining their popularity. The modern services create favorable conditions for distant employment that usually leads to the significant staff reduction. As a consequence, du might soon face the ethical dilemma whether to optimize the efficacy by reducing the salaries expenses or to preserve the workforce carrying out its obligations of the employer. The following problem requires careful consideration and the changes should not be perfor med too promptly. Finally, the successful implementation of the information resources requires innovative ideas and approaches. In fact, the information system provides resource base to which every company has an equal access. Therefore, it is a firm’s unconventional decision-making that lets it become a leader in the relevant field. It means that innovative thinking should be encouraged at every corporate level. One has already mentioned the special Innovation Ideas Award that du offers to the most successful performers. It is important that the following award is equally available to every employee regardless of the hierarchy status. In conclusion, one should note that information system plays an important role in a company’s strategy. The successful implementation of existing information resources enables a firm to improve its general performance and raise its competitive competence. Meanwhile, a positive outcome of the following integration can be expected on condi tion that the suggested approach coincides with the initial organisational design taking into account its specificity and weak points. The analysis of du’s information strategy has shown that the company manages to remain a leading player in the telecommunication market largely to its effective implementation of the available information resources. Thus, du’s information strategy is aimed at the improvement of the customers’ service both by providing the clients with new convenient options and monitoring the feedback. Moreover, the company makes a lot of effort to form strategic alliances that might be beneficial for the development of its information strategy. Therefore, du’s readiness to cooperate along with its intention to maintain the innovative activity, determine the success of its performance and enable it to remain the leading telecommunication company in UAE. Reference List ADSIC and Du Ink Cooperation Agreement 2015, http://gulfnews.com/busines s/sectors/telecoms/adsic-and-du-ink-cooperation-agreement-1.1634056. DEWA Enters into Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Du to Lease-Out Part of DEWA’s Dark Fibre 2015, du.ae/about-us/media-centre/newsdetail/DEWA-enters-into-partnership-and-cooperation-agreement-with-du-to-lease-out-part-of-DEWA-s-dark-fibre. Du Demonstrates How Innovation Is Improving Day-to-Day Life During UAE Innovation Week 2015, du.ae/about-us/media-centre/newsdetail/2015/05/06/du-honored-as-pioneer-in-geographic-information-systems-in-gisworx-2015. Du Honored as Pioneer in Geographic Information Systems in GISWORX 2015, du.ae/about-us/media-centre/newsdetail/2015/05/06/du-honored-as-pioneer-in-geographic-information-systems-in-gisworx-2015. Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company 2015, Sustainability Report, du.ae/docs/default-source/About-Docs/du-sustainability-report-2014.pdf?sfvrsn=4 Kelly, MM Flanagan, K 2015, Du and Project Management Institute Strengthen Bonds for Strategic Collabo ration, media release, 2 December, pmi.org/About-Us/Press-Releases/du-Project-Management-Institute-strengthen-bonds-strategic-collaboration.aspx. Thomas, AS 2015, Follow The Leader: Osman Sultan, CEO, du, Entrepreneur, 15 September, entrepreneur.com/article/250611.