GMBA 605 MIS GROUP ASSIGNMENT 1 SYNDICATE GROUP 1

No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Name Raymond Oppong Dapaah William Dadson Solomon DarkO Stella Gifty Buaku Ernest Brawua Martin Danso Lawal Oluwatoyin Samuel Lorlor Fadji

Index number MBAE10040108 MBAE10040106 MBAE10040109 MBAE10040102 MBAE10040101 MBAE10040107 RMBA09040121 MBAE10040283

Date of Submission: 8 March 2011

Q1. Simply buying the latest and greatest hardware and software to build a digital firm does not necessarily guarantee value to organizational investments in information technology/systems. Using the three components of information systems and the complementary assets concepts, discuss why some companies achieve better results with information systems than others.

Introduction

Successful companies recognize that information technology can fundamentally alter the very nature of work. Such a transformation, however, often requires that an organization rethink its corporate strategy and remake its basic structure and processes a task that one Fortune 500 CEO compared to changing the tires on a moving car. Looked at in this way, the so-called productivity paradox articulated in 1987 by Robert Solow that you can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics becomes less mysterious. In fact, though, computers do affect productivity and they do so to the extent that organizations adapt their internal structures, processes and culture to extract the greatest value from the technology. The data show a clear divide between companies that effectively change their organizations and those that do not. Laggard firms can live off their momentum and existing customer base for a while, but eventually a competitor will offer customers a significantly better product or service.

In this sense, IT is like steam power in the 1800s and electricity in the 1900s a general- purpose technology with long-term impacts on the nature of production and consumption throughout the economy.2 But IT has become affordable, and thus ubiquitous, much more quickly than those earlier advances. Since the late 1950s, the price of computing power has fallen more than 2,000fold. Although IT has enabled the growth of new companies and even entire industries, these technologies have also transformed the opportunities and challenges facing established manufacturing and service firms

The Role and Components of an Information System As a firm becomes more digital, its information system continues to extend beyond the traditional role of serving the employees. Developing the complementary assets associated with the

information systems such as developing new business models and processes, changing management behavior and organizational culture, emphasizing employee training in technology, and creating new partnerships with suppliers, customers, and even competitors, is proving to be a daunting task. These investments in organization and management are also known as organizational and management capital.

In order for a digital firm to derive the much needed value from investment in information technology/system it is imperative to consider the three dimensions of management information system which are organization, management and technology and the complementary assets. The approaches to these components set the tone and actually explain why some companies achieve better results with information systems than others.

Investments in information systems bring about significant change in the organization. The relationship is complex and is influenced by factors such as structure, business processes, politics, culture, environment and its people. Information systems potentially change the organizations structure, culture, business processes and strategy. Many new information systems require changes in personnel and can affect who does what to whom, when, where and how in an organization. There is considerable resistance to them when introduced. Organization resistance manifest in several ways in different organizations. Changes in technology can be absorbed, deflected, and defeated by organization task arrangement, structures, and people. The only way to effect change in this instant is to change the technology, task, structure, and people simultaneously. The

investment in information system will not benefit the firm if the resistance is so powerful and the value to organization will not be guaranteed.

Management makes sense of things around them. They take decisions and formulate action plans. Management perceives business challenges, set strategies to response to the challenges and allocates resources to achieve success. Information systems affect the core functions of management by helping managers design and deliver new products and services and redirecting the organization.

Complementary Assets and Success of Information System Information technology consisting of the hardware, software, networking and telecommunications and its management is one of the many tools managers use to cope with the change. The IT infrastructure provides the foundation on which the firm can build its specific information systems. Organizations must carefully design and manage its information technology infrastructure so that it has the set of technology services that meet it needs.

Complementary assets are those assets required to derive value from a primary investment (Teece, 1988). Information technology investments alone cannot make organizations and managers more effective unless they are accompanied by supportive values, structures, and behaviour patterns in the organization. They support information technology and management to deliver superior returns on the investments in information technology. Organization that support their technology investments with investment in complementary assets such as new business models, new business processes, management behavior, organization culture or training receive superior returns.

Organizations that consider the three components of information systems (technology, management and organization) which also depend to a large extent on complementary investment in management and organization will realize value from their investment in information technology.

Conclusion In conclusion, we found out that globalization has compelled most if not all business to go digital in their core business processes and relationships with their customers, suppliers and employees. In fact it is no more an option if any business wants to grow and survive in the foreseeable future without going digital. Information and its management is the key to remaining in the turbulent business environment hence the investment in latest and innovative hardware and software by most businesses in their quest to build digital firm to compete effectively.

Further, a digital firms investment in information technology/systems is with the view that such a system will enable it to acquire, transform and distribute information to improve management decision making. Such informed decision will enhance organizational performance and eventually increase organizational profitability. Unfortunately simply buying the latest and greatest hardware and software to build a digital firm does not guarantee value to the organizational investments in information technology/system.

Q2. What is Web Ex? Visit the Web site www.WebEx.com and explore Web Exs capabilities for small and medium enterprises in Ghana.

WebEx is a web-based service from Cisco that allows you to connect with anyone, anywhere, in real time. WebEx combines desktop sharing through a web browser with phone conferencing and
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video, so everyone sees the same thing while you talk. WebEx allows one to save time and money in travel as well as facilitating easy collaboration with distant colleagues and clients. It eliminates the hassle of emailing files and following up by phone. Make your meetings more productive and successful.

Web Ex is really collaborative software in that it provides on-demand collaboration, online meeting, web conferencing and video conferencing applications. It was co-founded by Subrah Iyar and Min Zhu in 1996. However on March 15 2007, Cisco Systems acquired Web Ex for $3.2 billion and became a part of Ciscos Development Organization while maintaining its unique business model.

Web Ex products1 include Meeting Center, Training Center, Event Center, Support Center, Sales Center, MeetMeNow, PCNow, WebEx, AIM Pro Business Edition, WebEx Web Office and WebEx Connect. WebEx is also as an online learning platform and classroom for a diverse set of education providers which has worked for educational institutions due to its real time collaboration using an interactive whiteboard, chat and VOID technology that allows audio and video sharing.

WebEx is not a free platform like WiZiQ or Moodle and fees are paid per host for a classroom or meeting.

How WebEx works Web Ex requires no hardware installation or software maintenance. It works on any platform - PC, Max, Linux, or Solaris. To use WebEx one requires a computer or any wireless device (mobile
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Some of these products are described in Appendix 1

phone) with an Internet connection, an audio connection - either through your computer or phone and a webcam (optional). Upgrades and patches are automatic when you are online. It allows you to use a whiteboarding, note-taking, and annotation tools to mark up documents as you share life online. Knowing how face to face is important, WebEx allows you to stream live webcam video in every meeting or session. Catch all those smiles, make eye contact, and get ready for your close-up. Also you can keep track of conversations and decisions by recording your meetings, both audio and video, with just one click which recordings can be shared securely with anyone you would like.

WebEx is also very secure. You can count on the highest levels of performance and security for all of your WebEx online meetings. That's because every meeting is delivered over the Cisco Collaboration Clouda highly secure, scalable, and available meeting network. In addition, there are a variety of security options, such as meeting password protection, to control who attends the organized meeting and to ensure that all your data is safe all the time. Furthermore, it is environmentally friendly. When you meet online using WebEx, you reduce your fossil- fuel consumption and air pollution. You save much CO2. E.g. you Save 2,690 pounds of carbon dioxide by using WebEx instead of flying from New York to London for a team meeting.

Business Functions Performed Using WebEx WebEx would help organizations to perform the following functions: 1. Team collaboration; 2. Sales presentations; 3.Lead-generating webinars; 4.Online training; 5. Demonstrate a product; 6.Hold any kind of meeting; 7. Conduct remote training;

8.Collaborate on designs; 9. CEOs Connect with the board, with investors, and with the media; 10.Educate or teach long-distance etc

WebExs capabilities for small and medium enterprises in Ghana The business benefits of WebEx for Ghanaian small and medium scale enterprises extend well beyond basic network connections and information sharing in real time.

Businesses and entrepreneurs can communicate and coordinate with one another, exchanging knowledge and insights in real time, by sharing the contents of multimedia screen displays. But network connectivity is only a means to an end. There is more involved than simply faster communications, WebEx also promotes reduction in travel costs. It is evident that for most small businesses the cost of traveling to meet supplier, establish business contacts and meet with other stakeholder impact largely on their expenditure. With the introduction of WebEx, cost of traveling will reduce drastically because of packages such as WebEx Sales Center, WebEx Meeting Center etc. in Ghana where dense traffic makes face-to-face meetings hectic, this solution helps to save cost and time spent in traffic.

Also people working together at a distance can depend upon live communications links, anywhere and anytime, as a reliable set of extended network services. As a result, business team members working in different locations can readily convene for a live group discussion and then adjourn.

A geographically-dispersed group or branches can meet together with an expert trainer for a little while during a day and then return to their own work activities where they can immediately put

their newly-acquired information (and skills) to good use. Without leaving his office, a skilled support specialist can trouble-shoot a customized enterprise application, running on a remote system in another locale. Similar to the way telephone service for voice communications is used throughout a business, WebEx Communication Services are used across sales, marketing, training, support, engineering, and other functional groups.

Appendix 1: Various Packages Of Web Ex For Small And Medium Scale Businesses

WebEx Meeting Center WebEx Meeting Center offers modern solutions for handling business in todays world, where the average business person or individual is as likely to have business contacts on the other side of the globe as he is right in his neighborhood. With the technological power to make it easy and cost effective to conduct business at a distance, WebEx Meeting Center is an invaluable asset. WebEx Support Center With the WebEx Support Center system, quality support becomes much easier to provide, whether dealing with a local network or with a team or set of clients spread throughout the world. Effective support is essential, as that can determine whether a client chooses your business again and can have a heavy impact on how productive your team is. With WebEx, support is assured.

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WebEx Sales Center Quickly qualify leads, manage prospects, negotiate contracts, and shorten sales cycles. Sales Center offers numerous valuable services, ranging from facilitating communication and training, to engaging customers to data organizing and tracking. Easy to use and affordably priced, WebEx Sales Center is a wise investment for business that rely on sales. WebEx Event Center Event Center has a broad range of features sure to make your web event effective, ranging from its WebEx Live Stream Services, which make the creation of unique multimedia types of presentations simple to achieve, to support and planning that can take you from start to finish in the organizing of your web seminar. WebEx Training Center Deliver live or on-demand online training as you eliminate logistical barriers. Training Center is one of many targeted solutions created by WebEx aimed at improving business success. Being able to work with large groups of distant people via the web is an essential part of staying competitive today, with the benefits of cutting costs and increasing convenience for all parties involved. WebEx Web Office Share documents, calendars, and more, from any web browser. Manage multi-person projects effectively, helping to ensure that participants have access to the information they need to meet project deadlines reliably. Event planning is a snap with the organizational tools provided by WebEx Web Office, including sophisticated coordination tools and automatic reminders. WebEx PC Now Access your PC and everything on it remotely; secure and reliable. PC Now makes screen sharing and other useful, business enhancing activities possible, all from any local computer a user may have on hand, making it easy to handle business while traveling and away from the home or office desk top computer.

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WebEx Pay-Per-Use Within minutes of choosing Pay-Per-Use, you can have your next important collaboration up and running. It really is that simple and WebEx support is readily available to offer support if needed. Convenience from top to bottom, from the simple pay-per-use plan to the ease with which all applications function, makes WebEx Pay-Per-Use an excellent choice.

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