Peters' and Waterman's well-known book 'In Search of Excellence', a study of some of the most well-managed companies in the United States at that time, was one of the best-known business books of the 1980s. In the book, the authors identified eight common themes which they argued were responsible for the success of the included corporations. These attributes included hands-on management, centralized values accompanied by entrepreneurial productivity, and focusing on the core business (sticking to the knitting). While the key elements of successful organizations in 1982 are still relevant today for ongoing prosperity and longevity, the connection between the effective and targeted use of IT to support business goals and organizational success was noticeable by its absence.
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Good to Great IT
A Survey and Analysis of What Makes an IT Department GreatLANDesk White Paper | Good to Great IT
Introduction They defined IT savvy firms as those that added the most value from 1Peters' and Waterman's well-known book 'In Search of Excellence' , each IT dollar invested across the entire IT portfolio, including a study of some of the most well-managed companies in the United infrastructure, transactional IT, informational IT and strategic IT. States at that time, was one of the best-known business books of the They also found that within IT-savvy organizations, almost 1980s. In the book, the authors identified eight common themes all employees have the skills to use IT effectively and that which they argued were responsible for the success of the included senior management is strongly committed to effective use of corporations. These attributes included hands-on management, IT, championing important IT initiatives and strengthening centralized values accompanied by entrepreneurial productivity, and partnerships between IT staff and business units with a focus on focusing on the core business (sticking to the knitting). While the generating value from IT investments.key elements of successful organizations in 1982 are still relevant today for ongoing prosperity and longevity, the connection between One of the most common misconceptions about IT and especially the effective and targeted use of IT to support business goals and about IT Service Management (ITSM), is that it's all about organizational success was noticeable by its absence. supporting what's there, providing a responsive help desk and doing what end users want or demand. Organizations need to get away In his book 'Good to Great, Why some companies make the leap 2 from fire-fighting and managing everyday challenges to free up and others don't' , Jim Collins asked what it was that distinguished time to think and work more strategically. They also need to stop great companies (i.e. those that had made the leap from good results thinking that 'IT doesn't work' and that 'IT is a cost not a business to great results and sustained the results for at least 15 years) from asset'. other companies. Interestingly, great companies did not shine in any one particular area, they did not have larger than life, celebrity Building on the ideas developed by Peters and Waterman, Collins, leaders, better defined strategies, exist in exciting and growing Weill and Aral, and enhanced by an independent survey of 125 industries or use technology to cause transformation. IT directors and CIOs, set out to gain insight into what makes the difference between an IT department that focuses on fixing What they did have were leaders who got on with the job, gathered and delivering basic IT service (an average, or at best, good IT the right teams and people around them, had a culture of discipline department) and one that leads the way when it comes to IT within an entrepreneurial environment and thought differently best practices and measurably demonstrating these results on a about the role of technology. While not slavishly following all day-to-day, month-to-month and year-to-year basis (a great IT the latest technology fads and bandwagons, the most successful department). organizations pioneered the use of technology in carefully selected areas of the organization where they felt it could deliver most benefit Highlights from the survey, undertaken by Omniboss, a division of and drive and accelerate business goals. Vanson Bourne, Touchpaper, now known as Avocent*, revealed that:
"Technology-induced change is nothing new. The real question is ??Adding strategic and bottom line value are the key not, What is the role of technology? Rather the real question is, How characteristics of great ITdo good-to-great organizations think differently about technology." ??The right systems and processes for change are key to being able - Jim Collins, p. 147 to raise the bar for IT ??These organizations see technology as an integral part of the The right solutions for effective day-to-day support and service organizational culture, driven by the business values and strategic issue resolution free up time for added value and for focusing goals, not as technology for technology's sake, using it creatively on more strategic projectsto accelerate their momentum. Driven by a desire to turn ??Organi... [download for more]
