Aims

Information Technology (IT) is a critical enabler of competitive advantage in organisations. The core issues of competing with IT are the same regardless of the size or sector of the organisation. These are business issues, which must be owned by leaders across an organisation. Unfortunately there is an ‘IT attention deficit’ and many individuals and organisations continue to struggle to realise the strategic potential of IT. There are some signs of change as new tech-savvy generations come into the work place. It is also clear that leaders of IT-enabled change and transformation need a broader range of skills than expertise with mobile and social technologies.

The goal of the module is to provide insights into the issues and opportunities of delivering value from IT as well as to help develop expertise in using a range of practical tools to enable individuals to make a difference in their teams and wider organisations.

The aims of this module are to:
• Relate a benefits-driven framework to realising the strategic potential of Information Systems / Information Technology in order to deliver value.
• Equip graduates with the skills and ability to play an effective role in enabling their organisations to succeed in realising the strategic potential of information systems.

Outline Of Syllabus

1. The challenges and opportunities associated with delivering value from IT.
2. A benefits framework for planning change initiatives.
3. Delivering the benefits from projects – an agile, benefits driven approach.
4. Harvesting the benefits from investments in IT-enabled change.
5. Digging deeper into key issues of benefits realisation.
6. Managing the IT investment portfolio.
7. Designing an approach to change.
8. Building dynamic capabilities.
9. Review and revision.

The module focuses on principles and practices that can be applied in a wide range of organisations and business / IT scenarios. Specific topics such as customer relationship management, digital healthcare, knowledge management and others are covered by using a range of practical cases and examples.

The module draws on research into socio-technical and benefits driven approaches to IT. It also relates to current practice and specifically the move towards agile, design based approaches to IT that contribute to business innovation.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures supplement student reading to provide both theoretical and practical knowledge. In class discussions and activities enable students to develop their understanding through mutual learning.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Lectures, readings and class discussions / activities are designed to help students develop the understanding and analytical skills needed to complete the assessment. Formative assessment aims to scaffold student learning towards the final summative assessment, which tests the students individually to assess how well they have developed both their factual understanding of the topic and their skills in applying their knowledge. Resit is by resubmission of a revised essay.