BUSI 3700 Chapter 11

How’s the IT Department Organized?

• Organizational structure varies, depending on size, culture, competitive environment, industry, etc

• All IT systems used in an organization require some form of technical support

• Called “IT Services”

IT department role

• Traditionally responsible for website designing and maintenance

  • Marketing department now does this

• Now provides technical support for the website

• Web design requires skills in marketing and IT

IT Jobs

• Wide range of jobs

• Most think it consists only of programmers and computer technicians who have great technical skills

• However, high demand IT jobs require mix of interpersonal and technical skills

IT Department Organizational Structure

Arrangement of roles (e.g., CIO, CTO, operations, development) that deliver and govern technology in a firm.

IT Architecture

Basic framework of computers, systems, and information management practices that support organizational services.

Enterprise Architect

• Professional who creates and maintains the blueprint of an organization’s IS and guides future technology changes.

• New title for someone who manages IT architecture,

Alignment

• process of matching organizational objectives and strategies with IT architecture.

• fitting IT architecture to business objectives is continuous challenge

• communication between business and IT executives is the most important indicator

• example: walmart

Governance

Development of consistent, cohesive management policies and processes for IT and related services to maximize long-term benefits and investment

Budget Measures Act (Bill 198)

• Canadian law mirroring SOX, mandating internal controls and accountability in financial information systems.

• Expose both management and the external auditor to financial and criminal liability

IS Audit

• Examination and verification of a company’s information resources that are used to collect, store, process, and retrieve info

• Includes review of organization’s IS policies and procedures to ensure they’re being enforced and executed

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology)

Framework of best practices for IT management

IS Ethics

• There’s limits to the use of IT and IS

  • Some IT is against the law or unethical

• Involves the people in the system

  • Understanding our behaviour and how our actions affect others

  • Should be guided by principles

• Example: Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms

ACM Code of Ethics

1. Contribute to society and to human well-being, acknowledging that all people are stakeholders in computing.

2. Avoid harm.

3. Be honest and trustworthy.

4. Be fair and take action not to discriminate.

5. Respect privacy.

Green IT (Green Computing)

• using IT resources to better support the triple bottom line for organizations

• goal is to improve energy efficiency, promote recyclability, and reduce the use of harmful materials

• considers the effects of choices on people and the environment

• examples: ENERGY STAR and e-cycling

Why IS governance and audits are important

• Increased need to report and disclose IS operational information will require all employees to become more familiar with the issues facing IT management

• Senior business managers are required to be educated about IS controls that will expose them to financial and criminal penalties