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  IT change is something that IT companies must manage if they are to survive and
compete in today¶s business world
In countries where software, hardware or IT services are
generated in abundance, the contribution to gross domestic product is upwards of 5%. No
wonder, then, that many governments have invested considerable energy in recent years to
encourage the growth of IT producing industries. Exploring more, These IT companies are
possessive for their reputation and ranks by NASSCOM and UNIDO, resulting in mutual
competition. This competition let them to dominate rival IT companies, which makes them
desperate for improving their own market reputation. As reflected in the Economist
Intelligence Unit¶s IT industry competitiveness index, an IT industry¶s growth potential rests
on the existence of favorable conditions in several interrelated areas like the quality of the IT
and communications infrastructure, the supply of local talent, the research and development
(R&D) environment and the legal regime, not to mention the overall business environment.
Countries which pay close attention to these ³competitiveness enablers´ reap the rewards in
the form of highly efficient IT sectors.
So integrating all above aspects this research is focused on the current scenario of IT industry
and competition among themselves and how IT industry managing the IT changes as IT gets
updated. Nothing in IT industry is more stable or challenging than ³IT change itself,´ which
brings organization to the need for radically improving ³IT change management.´ To be
effective, IT change management should be multi-disciplinary, touching all aspects of the
organization. IT organizations that don't properly manage their IT change processes provide
significantly lower service quality than those that do. That's why many forward-thinking
companies are now looking to automate their IT IT change management processes.

In this research, we have discussed and proposed some techniques to manage the IT changes
effectively and efficiently in IT industry, to retain in competition.

! IT, Competitiveness, IT change Management.

*Nandan Sujati, Faculty, Lovely School of Management, Lovely Professional

University, Chaheru, Phagwara. Email-Id: nandansujati@gmail.com , 99880-62376.

**Shaina Dhingra, Faculty, Lovely School of Management, Lovely Professional

University, Phagwara. Email-Id: shaina.14219@lpu.co.in , 9872804901.
c

Competitiveness points to - p
p 


p  
p
  

 two highlighting
criteria of competitiveness are - X

 X
 
, that is, increased
competitiveness is reflected in sustained growth in productivity and profitability.

Since ³productivity´ and ³profitability´ are vital for all organizations, industries, sectors and
nations, even in IT industry which is highly productive sector of nation. It indicates that the
concept of competitiveness is equally applicable to entity like IT(Information Technology),
so it is a must that they appreciate the conceptual framework of competitiveness and the
various forms that it takes, (commercial competitiveness, market competitiveness etc.) along
with the fact that it is a complex ongoing process affected by a range of factors / inputs.

As µcompetitiveness¶ in trump card of business (and industries) is not a new phenomenon and
is usually discussed in terms of ± the decisions it makes, the resources it has, and the
environmental factors which surrounds the business, but lately, the trend of categorizing and
evaluating nations on basis of their competitiveness has become a norm among economists,
policy makers, business executives and investors.

In IT zone Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) have worked together for
reducing protection and creating a rapidly changing competitive environment resulting in
fierce international competition µin¶ and µfor¶ the world-market. With this, there has been a
growing realization that avoiding the rigors of competition is not possible and developing
strategies for enhancing sustainable competitiveness has emerged as a µmust do¶ exercise for
all. However, the context of µcompetitiveness¶ might vary for business, industries and
nations, depending on their - objectives, form, nature and functions ± that is - from
completely social to hardcore commercial.

But IT acting as ASSET of nation sometimes become LIABILTY, As it is that zone which is
never stagnant , it requires updation as per market . We believe

ã

 
  

So to retain IT industry in competition, it must manage these IT changes so effectively,

efficiently and flexibly in the way that it must not effect the other elements or key attributes
of industry . Resulting in better yield and profit of Industry. Sincerely says, automated
industry with recent technology will be preferred by clients for their projects because of :
 á Latest Technology approved by IT ians
á Flexibility in technology
á Advancement
á Future Perspective
á Latest Database
á User Friendly
á Ad hoc nature or Self Adaptive

Table-1

IT change is a big topic in industry today and there are a lot of articles about how to manage
IT change. Most of the information in these articles I had heard before through other articles
or through classes, but these articles helped re-enforce the concepts through lessons learned
from other companies. The article ãIT change Without Pain´ (Abrahamson, 2000) did
however have a new concept I had not heard of before. Companies spend a lot of time and
money trying to invent new parts or processes when all they would have to do is make IT
changes to current processes or products. This article also pointed out that how to manage IT
changes efficiently which helps an organization with stability of the company culture.
Through all the articles I learned constant IT change is not good or healthy for a company
and the IT change process should be implemented in a way that is not disruptive to the
culture of the company. If the points of all three articles are used then a company has a good
start at achieving IT change which can be sustained. To quote Arie de Geus ³«the only
sustainable competitive advantage is to learn faster than your competitors,´ (as cited in
Martin, 1995) if this is true, as a company learns more, they must make IT changes. So I
would IT change the quote to say the only sustainable competitive advantage is to learn faster
than your competitors and to make IT changes which can be sustained long term. This paper
provided an overview of how companies should manage IT IT change so a sustainable
culture is created that can compete long term.

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Some companies succeed. People accomplish their aims. Other businesses stagnate. People
work hard, adopt fashionable approaches, use big name consultants « but they still fail. Why
is this? What do winners do differently?

Despite the rhetoric about nimble, flexible and responsive organizations, the economic
downturn caught many companies flatfooted. Why the gap between aspiration and
achievement? What are the strugglers overlooking or doing wrong?

The experience of over 2,000 companies reveals why there is a wide gulf between intentions
and outcomes. Frustration is the inevitable consequence of how many people set about
activities such as winning business, building customer relationships, creating and exploiting
know-how, and the management of IT change.

The Centre for Competitiveness has identified what needs to be done. The results are
summarized in a new book: µTransforming the Company, Manage IT change, Compete and
Win¶.

The differences between winners and losers are stark. Both categories attract clever and
highly paid people who play their respective roles to perfection. Lets look at some dos and
don¶ts for becoming a winner:
m Inspire and motivate with a distinctive vision, compelling purpose and clear objectives.
Avoid rhetoric, blather and hype.

m Be confident and determined, pragmatic and positive. Will to win. Strive for success rather
than survival. Don¶t rationalize disappointment. Learn from it.

m Be proactive rather than reactive. Identify and approach those you would like to do
business with. Don¶t wait to be asked.

m Be selective. Focus upon the areas that make a difference. Don¶t spread yourself too thinly
or bark up the wrong trees.

m Only IT change what needs to be IT changed. Avoid IT change for IT changes sake ± it can
be stressful and disruptive of valued relationships.

m Be interested in others rather than preoccupied with yourself. Don¶t sell. Help people to
buy.

m Trust people and take calculated risks. Delegate. Encourage entrepreneurship. Don¶t avoid
commitments or fear the unknown. Innovate, explore and discover.

m Make sure people understand what they need to do. Equip them with the understanding and
job support tools to do what is expected of them.

m Think for yourself. Differentiate. Create bespoke offerings, additional choices and new
markets. Avoid imitation, band-waggons and me-too approaches.

m Be open. Value relationships and invite feedback. Question and challenge. Don¶t duck
issues. Become a business partner rather than commodity supplier.

m Address specifics, adopt simple solutions and think before you act. Read the road ahead.
Assemble what you will need to succeed. Avoid fads, panaceas and single solutions.

m Choose colleagues with care. Surround yourself with pragmatic and competent
contributors. Don¶t be deceived by appearances. Avoid the slick and the smooth.

m Don¶t confuse operational and strategic issues, or your personal interests with those of the
company. Build an effective board of competent directors.
 &%
 
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 '

In this debate, the panel will discuss why IT change management is even
necessary. Dr. Johnson will introduce the opposing viewpoint and
moderate the panel.

Note about the debate structure: in each debate, we have asked each
individual to defend one side or the other for a particular topic. In some
cases, they may be defending a position that they personally do not
advocate, but for the purpose of presenting both sides of the debate, they
will voice commonly stated positions from managers and business leaders.
You may find these debates helpful to defend against similar statements
by resistant managers in your company.

Dr. James Johnson (JJ)

Is IT change management really necessary? What ever happened to the

good old days in business? You did what you had to do to survive. We
seem to be spending more time worrying about how people feel about a IT
change instead of how to implement a IT change. Evolution Theory, I
think, supports this premise. Plants and animals have survived countless
IT changes in the earth's environment. The cockroach is a perfect
example; it has been around for 300 million years - sharks, 200 million
years. Why? Because they learned to adapt to their environments. They
have learned to survive. The strong survive and the weak don't - it's the
survival of the fittest!

Maybe we should get back to the science of management. Maybe

Frederick Taylor was right. Maybe management is going soft. Maybe it's
time to get back to the basics, 2+2=4. If' it's too hot in your environment,
then move somewhere else. Enough of the pampering! Can we afford the
soft approach to IT change?

Melissa Dutmers

Can we just stop spending time worrying about how people feel about the
IT change and tell them to either (1) implement it, or (2) move somewhere
else? Should managers mow people over that don't support or resist the IT
change? Can we afford the "hard approach" to IT change? What type of
message do you think would be sent if an employee was "moved
somewhere else" (fired or demoted), without any coaching on what is
expected and why and how to support the IT change? The message that
would be sent is FEAR. Granted, the short term decision to deal with that
one employee would be quick and easy, however the long term
ramifications would be great.

Adrienne Boyd

Melissa talks about the FEAR message sent in JJ's "survival of the fittest"
world. I agree with JJ's use of the evolution theory in this situation, but his
interpretation of the analogy is wrong. The companies that are leading the
evolutionary campaign are the ones that have figured out their greatest
assets are their people, and the old theory of dealing with IT change
(implementing a FEAR philosophy where it is "IT change or get out") is
not in the company's best interest. Contrary to JJ's statement about the
'good old days', it is the companies that operate in the 'good old days' that
are stuck in the Dark Ages! IT change management helps create successful
adaptation in a win-win situation for both parties and is certainly the
evolutionary wave of the future.

Tim Creasey

Not to just side with JJ and be the devil's advocate, but I have one
question: Aren't we in business to do business, not to make people feel
good about themselves? I've been working in a project team during my
MBA courses this semester, and there are times when we spend hours tip-
toeing around issues because no one wants to rock the boat - no one wants
to implement the 'hard-side' of IT change. A business that operates this
way will not be in business for long. Why do managers have to be so
careful these days? Maybe I've become a bit jaded, but I think that at some
levels, there are certain expectations of any job. If most jobs require IT
change, why should businesses be going out of there way, spending
valuable time and resources "managing IT change." IT change is part of
your job; we pay you to do your job, so do your job.

Jeff Hiatt

"How high?" That certainly would be a preferred answer to a management

directive to   than the more typical "Why?" that is heard today. Yet,
in a recent study with more than 327 companies implementing major
business IT change, project managers stated that the single most important
success factor was managing IT change. [Ref 1]

Have we really become soft when it comes to leadership and managing IT

change, as Tim and JJ argue? What has happened that requires today's
leaders to manage IT change differently than in the past? First, I believe
the workforce itself has IT changed. Employees today are more educated
and more knowledgeable about business in general and their role in the
company. Just as the notion of "—    
" has disappeared from our
concept of employment, employees are stepping up and taking on more
responsibility for their future.

Second, companies have asked employees to be more accountable for their

work performance. "


    
  
p  


 
 


 " This management mantra for quality and
process improvement does not come without a cost. If you give an
employee ownership of their work, then don't expect them to just stand by
while you IT change it out from under them. With accountability for
results comes ownership of the process, and with ownership of the process
comes both emotional and professional attachment and commitment. We
should expect resistance to top-down IT change to increase as employee
ownership of their work increases.

The net effect for managers is that top-down IT change requires a new
approach. New competencies are needed for today's leaders and managers.
That does not mean business leaders need to be "soft" on IT change. This
is misunderstanding what is means to manage IT change.

Dr. James Johnson (JJ)

I¶m a big proponent of empowering employees and making them

responsible and accountable for their work. I¶ve seen it work both in
large and small organizations. But if they are worth their weight in salt,
they will recognize the need for IT change and just do it. They won¶t need
handholding or the like. Good people will always find a way to make it
work. They won¶t need management looking over their shoulders.
They¶re not afraid to take a risk.

Adrienne Boyd

The point needs to be reinforced that IT change management is not the

handholding, touchy feely, please-everyone style of management. Good
IT change management is not synonymous to pampering, comforting and
carrying employees from one side of a difficult situation to another. IT
change management is about implementing IT change with visible and
active executive sponsorship, clear and constant communication, excellent
training and education, involved coaches and employees, and proactive
resistance management. IT change management is about using proven IT
change leadership skills to implement new projects.

Melissa Dutmers

Adrienne is on the right track here. IT change management is concrete

steps that management can take to effectively lead IT change. IT change
management is not the goal in and of itself. IT change management is
means to an end and the end is business results.

Businesses are not in place to make people feel good about themselves
(this is hopefully a side effect of a well run business), businesses are
expected to make money. A business' viability is directly related to its
ability to generate revenue and profit. IT change management is about
effectively managing IT change to maximize business results.

It makes good business sense to spend time and resources managing IT

change because it will pay off a thousand fold in the commitment and
quality of work from the employees of the company. JJ's correct - good
people will find a way to make IT change work. I think the important
distinction is that good people will find a way to make a IT change work if
they understand how the IT change is directly related to achieving
business results. Smart people do not blindly follow. Smart people seek
understanding and then execute.

There are plenty of people that will reject IT changes no matter how
effectively the IT change is implemented. In those cases, their resistance
to the IT change should not be ignored and clear consequences should be
presented and executed.

Jeff Hiatt

This discussion has closed on several key issues around "Why manage IT
change?":

1. Managing IT change is not about "soft" skills. It is about developing

specific management competencies around effective IT change leadership.
These new management competencies are essential in today's workplace.
2. IT change management is necessary to manage business risks during IT
change, including avoiding the loss of valued employees, minimizing
productivity drops, avoiding negative impacts on customers and enabling
the IT change to be implemented on schedule and on budget.

3. Managing IT change benefits employees by keeping them involved and

informed throughout the IT change process. This enables employees to
make informed choices about how they will transition through the IT
change rather than react based on fear.

4. IT change management provides the tools to proactively manage

resistance to IT change and to deal decisively with resistance to IT change
that is persistent and threatening to the organization. Without these tools,
IT changes can become mired in workplace politics and ultimately fail.

The workplace is different today than even 10 years ago. IT change is the
norm. Employees view their career and role in the company in new ways.
In response, management competencies must adapt and businesses should
work to develop IT change management and IT change leadership
competencies from the CEO down to the front-line manager.

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1. +
 While your gut reaction to IT change is often refusal, such a response is
not productive. IT change is inevitable, and you must learn to accept it. The quicker
you do, the smoother your transition.
2. È

 Even the most difficult IT changes can produce positive results.
Don¶t waste time dwelling on what you don't like. Focus instead on the potential
benefits and new opportunities the IT changes may bring, and your spirits will remain
lighter throughout the transition.
3.  


 You'll feel much better about IT change when you're able to manage its
details and results. Make a list of what needs to be done to implement the IT change.
The more prepared you are, the less IT change will overwhelm you.
4. È 
 ,
-.
 Jump headfirst into IT change, whether it¶s new ways of doing
things, new offices, or new teams. Take time up front to learn a new program, take a
tour of a new office facility, or introduce yourself to a new coworker. The more
 quickly you are acclimated to new things, the more quickly they will become familiar
to you.
5. 
 IT change rarely affects one person; in most cases it affects many
people at once. IT change experienced as a group can become either a supportive,
unifying experience or a negative, frustrating one. Consider what kind of group you
want to be a part of, and then seek to make it so through your words and actions.
6. È


c
 


  While we can learn to accept and manage IT
change, piling numerous IT changes up all at once can become too overwhelming,
even for the most flexible of us. If there are many IT changes going on in your work
life, this is probably not the best time to also start those home renovations. Managing
IT change in one area of your life is easier when you have other areas that remain
familiar and comforting.
7. (/
 
!

" When things IT change significantly, accept that
you will not be able to master them all right away. If you're dealing with updated
computer systems, a shakeup in business operations, or any other major business IT
change, things will take time. Give yourself a break, and don¶t add to your stress by
trying to become a whiz at everything overnight.
8. .

- Ask yourself questions that will make a positive
difference, such as, ³How can I help facilitate the transition?´ or ³How will I need to
adjust my daily schedule to accommodate this new process?´ Avoid asking ³whys,´
and instead learn to move forward by asking questions that will help you become
comfortable with the IT changes.
9. .

 IT change is stressful because it threatens a person¶s sense of control.
Don¶t allow a powerless feeling to overwhelm you; face new challenges head-on.
Focus on how you can make it work for you. You will feel empowered by your
renewed sense of control when you stop allowing IT change to overcome you, and
instead overcome IT change through hard work and steady determination.
10.+


 " 
 While it's important to familiarize and adjust to IT
change, it's fruitless to get so comfortable that you believe things will not IT change
again. Adjust, but do so with the knowledge that nothing lasts forever, and this too
may give way to more IT change in the future.

%



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There are three basic reasons for a company making a technology IT change:

1) realizing that the current technology is no longer suitable for the company's situation;

2) establishing a vision for the company's future direction; and

3) implementing the IT change and setting up new systems to support it.

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Almost
all IT industries main perspective is top position holder and unbeaten competitor .
They are managing there IT changes in two basic modules.

1  (
U

Every IT Industry is having its dedicated centralized database. IT

industry comprises of different modules like HR, Finance, Operation, Technical
Support , Research and Development ,Testing etc. as shown in figure.

Fig.-1

Now consider the case when this Organization is using ORACLE 9i database, but it
needs to upgrade the database with newer version say ORACLE 11g. So in order to
upgrade they need to shutdown database for short period of time so as to make
effective IT changes to ORACLE 11g.
 Performing this tasks leads to shutting of all elements or modules of company as they
are totally dependent on centralized database.

 c" 
U
As discussed above same is case with interface or application which a
particular industry uses. Consider another case of Orkut, the most known friendster
site these days. Where client is having access to all the events of site like
scrapbook,photos,communities etc.

If Scrapbook need to get updated or to be IT changed then whole interface need to be

shut down.Moreover if client has task in scrapbook module only even then its
provided with other module which means unnecessarily access. Finally resulting in
resource wastage

)
2 


0 

1 
    U Rather using centralized database if we use fragmented

database using common network backbone then updation of databse is much
easier.

È&

 we have distributed database rather centralized , if we need to replace

ORACLE 9i by ORACLE 11g then instead of performing task on all the databases
,we can make updation on any one Database say DB1. Resulting in flexibility.
This will not results in shuttin of all database but only one part of database letting
other database in working state.
 
Access Control is also managed effectively, as moduled performing
and working on specific database will have access to that database only.

2. È  

 U
Again instead of using common interface we can
devide or fragment the application as per client need and requirement and can
manage access control efficiently.even updation to any module of application will
shut down that particular module only not whole application.

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The means to compete

Benchmarking IT industry competitiveness by 



  

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/fast-company-staff/fast-company-blog/most-effective-
way-manage-change-1

http://www.strategies-for-managing-change.com/how-to-manage-change.html

http://www.hvacrbusiness.com/issue/article/203/how_to_manage_change_in_your_company.
aspx

http://www.saferpak.com/change_management_art1.htm

Some Volunteers from Cooperate IT Zone

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