Information Systems
Order Instructions:
for this paper, they are 3 main questions to respond to, it is critical for the writer to clearly respond to this 2 main questions using scholarly sources to support the points and properly citing all work in APA format. Questions should be thoroughly responded.
Information Systems Development
once an organization makes the decision to implement an information systems technology, the next step is to determine whether the system should be developed internally or externally. There are risks and benefits to either approach. Internal development can be costly. On the other hand, it “bakes” into the organization the critical skills necessary to not only maintain the system but to also enhance it over time. External development, whether on- or offshore, can realize considerable savings and allow the company to focus on its own core competencies. The trade-off can be a system that is less customized or adaptable to existing systems, as well as a continued reliance on the vendor for maintenance and upgrades.
This week, you will explore the critical factors to take into consideration when making such a decision, bearing in mind organizational strategy as the primary context for the development of information systems.
There are advantages and disadvantages to in-sourcing and outsourcing, For this week’s paper, respond to the following:
• What are the critical success factors in taking the decision to outsource IT functions? Which functions, if any, can/should be outsourced? What are the risks associated with outsourcing or offshoring?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of short cycle time development? Do these mitigate the decision to outsource?
• What cultural barriers exist when offshoring IT development? Can these barriers be overcome? If so, how?
Resources to be used for the paper
Articles
• Baskerville, R., & Pries-Heje, J. (2004). Short cycle time systems development. Information Systems Journal, 14(3). Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.
This article examines a new form of development referred to as short cycle time systems development.
• Tafti, M. H. A. (2005). Risks factors associated with offshore IT outsourcing. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 105(5/6), 549–560. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM global database.
This article presents a framework to assess risk factors associated with offshore outsourcing of IT development.
• Gottschalk, P., & Solli-Sæther, H. (2005). Critical success factors from IT outsourcing theories: An empirical study. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 105(5/6). Retrieved from ABI/INFORM global database.
This article applies 11 management theories to rank critical issues in IT outsourcing using case studies and interviews as its methodology.
• Meso, P., & Smith, R. (2000). A resource-based view of organizational knowledge management systems. Journal of Knowledge Management, 4(3). Retrieved from ABI/INFORM global database.
This article asserts that the only true strategic asset is intellectual capital and that IT development of knowledge management systems must take into consideration the “socio-technical” perspective.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Information Systems
When outsourcing IT functions, there are key success factors that should be taken into consideration. The first factor is the cost of outsourcing as compared to that of an in-built information system. However, the cost should not be the chief factor to consider as some information systems might be very cheap but not very effective according to an organization’s need. Another factor is the security of the organization’s information. Some information systems need to be managed locally and confidentially; therefore, outsourcing may compromise the security of the information. Specificity of assets is another factor that should be considered. One should consider the ability of the outsourced information system to fit the specific organization’s needs. Most outsourced systems are designed in such a way that they can be used by any organization. Degree of uncertainty of the information systems is another critical factor. The IT world is ever evolving, and when considering outsourcing, it is important to weigh between the ability of the outsourced system to be overtaken by technology against an inbuilt system. Frequency of transactions in this regard means how often the information system will be used. For instance, outsourcing may be effective for transactions, which are done once for a long period of time (Gottschalk & Solli-Sæther, 2005).
According to Tafti (2005), insecurity of information is one of the risks associated with outsourcing. The systems like payment processing system should never be outsourced at any instance. Another risk factor is unsuitability of the information system in regard to the organization’s objectives and needs. Each system has got its own specific users; outsourcing may not meet the specific needs of the users who may employ the outsourced system. For example, in a salary processing system, not all employees may be entitled to house allowance but most information systems include this as one of the details in processing the salary.
Short cycle time gives an organization the ability to distinguish a mediocre team from serious one. The short cycle time sets out a target to a team member on what is to be achieved within a given period of time. This helps reduce the risk of delayed delivery of customers’ software due to issues of incompleteness of the process. Short cycle time development helps in dealing with the factors of economic changes. When developing software for a long time it may be affected by changes in the economy for example inflation which may result to higher prices of hardware than the price that was planned for. The IT world of today undergoes changes now and again, short cycle time development helps in development of software at the right time when it’s relevant to the users before they are overtaken by other new inventions. The short cycle time development is very appropriate in delivering emergencies, software’s that are needed within a very short time. Its quick and this saves on time and cost through the consolidated efforts of team members (Baskerville, & Pries-Heje, 2004).
One disadvantage of the short cycle time system development is that the system can be developed within a very short time, not taking into consideration how it will serve for a long time. Some systems are developed and work out correctly at their initial time of introduction, but later on, it crashes down immediately after it is launched. Such problems occur because the system developers never take their time to fully analyze the system. Another disadvantage of the short cycle time development is that the period for user education may not be enough to full equip the users on how to use the new software before it’s launched. They may be trained but they may not be very confident enough in handling the new software. This does not mitigate the fact that a system can be in-built in order to meet the needs of the organization. Proper planning can be done and by employing the appropriate expertise, the system can be developed effectively (Baskerville, & Pries-Heje, 2004).
The bureaucratic nature of an organization can become a barrier in off-shoring IT development. This involves the procedures that are encountered in signing off the deliveries at the various stages in the system development lifecycle. Lack of management commitment can influence the software development and implementation. If the management lacks commitment then the whole project may fail due to issues such as financing of the project in a timely manner. Technophobia is also another barrier towards software development within an organization. If the users are technophobic then there may be a problem along the software development life cycle when they shall be required to test and be educated on the software before it is launched. It’s necessary that the management confirm and understand the necessity of the software before its development begins. They should commit fully towards financing the project and sustaining the project through continued maintenance.
References
Baskerville, R., & Pries-Heje, J. (2004). Short cycle time systems development. Information SystemsJournal, 14(3). Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.
Gottschalk, P., & Solli-Sæther, H. (2005). Critical success factors from IT outsourcing theories: An empirical study. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 105(5/6). Retrieved from ABI/INFORM
Meso, P., & Smith, R. (2000). A resource-based view of organizational knowledge management systems.Journal of Knowledge Management, 4(3). Retrieved from ABI/INFORM global database.
Tafti, M. H. A. (2005). Risks factors associated with offshore IT outsourcing. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 105(5/6), 549–560.Retrieved from ABI/INFORM
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