O&L Case Study 3

CASE STUDY HEFTY HARDWARE IT COLLABORATION

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Hefty Hardware Case Study

By xxxxxx

Introduction

This paper investigates IT, business partnership and shortcomings in Hefty Hardware. Generally, this partnership is ineffective because of poor integration of IT into strategic and business processes of Hefty Hardware. Team members in IT are not well oriented on the daily business running of Hefty Hardware, making it challenging for management to set and achieve strategic goals effectively through utilizing IT, infrastructure, and its resources.

Shortcomings from IT

Poor understanding of business processes. According to Cheryl, the IT department does not seem to understand her department's needs. They should understand different business processes across departments and identify solutions to improve operational effectiveness instead of focusing on technical matters that may not be understood by others (McKeen & Smith, 2014).

Lack of holistic focus regarding organizational vision and objectives. Members of IT lack focus on overall organizational visions and initiatives, which leaves their top level of management in doubt of value they gain from IT investments. Ultimately, there is a minimal or little contribution to executing business strategies (McKeen & Smith, 2014).

Proper management of organizational information can foster necessary relations between IT and business. Hefty Hardware should ensure proper mechanisms in IT that will facilitate managing organizational information and delivery of this information (McKeen & Smith, 2014).

Ineffective information management in IT. IT should ensure appropriate mechanisms and structures are in place to allow their management of organization information. This will facilitate for timely delivery of vital information through appropriate channels like web and phones. This way, the right information will be available to appropriate staff members on time, which is key in decision making (AIIM, n.d.).

Shortcoming of management

Poor communication

As for Glen and his colleagues from different departments, they should understand the need for proper communication both in their departments, between departments, team members, and across the organization. A better relationship can be achieved by enhancing communication. Therefore, managers should consider most communication between departments as equally important. Most of this information should not be delegated to subordinates and must be handled by managers unless necessary for delegation (McKeen & Smith, 2014).

Not sharing strategies with team members

For business success, management must share strategies, vision, and initiatives with employees across different levels in the organization. In this case, they should not only lead but ensure everyone clearly understands set goals, objectives, and strategies so that everyone knows exact expectations and their duties to effectively realize goals. This applies to members of IT because of the role it plays in organizations. Through this, Hefty Hardware can enjoy higher returns from resources invested in projects. Operational change and organizational culture will improve (Applied Learning, n.d.).

Lack of accountability and clear responsibilities set for team members

Management must ensure members of the IT teams have clearly understood their duties for IT integration. In the case of Hefty Hardware, managers can make members in IT understand how achievements and expectations will be handled. The CIO can then effectively communicate responsibilities, get feedback, and ensure accountability from members (Frese, & Sauter, 2003).

Poor change management

Because Hefty Hardware has been implementing new initiatives related to IT, the organization has taken new IT initiatives, strategic direction, and new practices in management. This means that change will exist and should be managed effectively where managers champion change and positively influence corporate culture for better results from IT (Taherdoosta, & Keshavarzsalehc, 2016).

Action plan for project collaboration

To successfully deliver the Savvy Store project, IT and business should:

Communicate effectively. For managers, they should develop foundations for effective communication. By creating a collaborative environment through making team members in IT also communicate effectively. This way, they can benefit from project collaboration for the successful delivery of the Savvy Store program (Landau, 2016).

Train. Both It and management must set up necessary training sessions to ensure guidance and direction in new initiatives and processes. Employees can be taught on project management tools, reasons for, and how to use them. Such tools facilitate better project collaboration (Landau, 2016).

Collaboration requires sharing. For collaboration to work between IT and management, the spirit of sharing information must be natured. When team members, leaders, and managers share information such as information on meetings, deadlines, and calendars everyone will be informed and plan effectively to achieve project success (Landau, 2016).

Understand that organization change management will be vital through the different phases of implementing the Savvy Store Program. Both managers and team members in IT should do away with old practices that hinder collaborative efforts between them. For example, they can avoid old methods of communication such as mails and embrace more interactive forms of communication that facilitate better collaboration (Landau, 2016).

Effectively manage conflicts. During the implementation and delivery of projects such as The Savvy Store Program, conflicts must arise. Because such complex projects involve people from different departments, beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences, there is a high potential for conflicts to arise. Conflict resolution skills are important to resolve, and handle conflicts caused by differences in people's values, expectations, resources, and attitudes (North Carolina Training Consortium, n.d.).

References

AIIM, (n.d.). What is Information Management? Retrieved from: https://www.aiim.org/What-is-Information-Management

Applied Learning, (n.d.). Sharing Strategy with Employees. Retrieved from: https://www.appliedlearning.com/sharing-strategy-with-employees/

Frese, R. & Sauter, V., (2003). Project Success and Failure: What Is Success, What Is Failure, And How Can You Improve Your Odds for Success? Retrieved from: http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/6840_f03_papers/frese/

Landau, P. (2016). What Is Project Collaboration? Retrieved from: https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/what-is-project-collaboration

McKeen, J. & Smith, H., (2014). It Strategy: Issues and Practices. Published by Pearson, 2014.

North Carolina Training Consortium, (n.d.). Conflict Resolution in Project Management. Retrieved from: https://research.ncsu.edu/nctc/study-guide/project-administration/project-management/conflict-resolution-in-project-management/

Taherdoosta, H. & Keshavarzsalehc, A., (2016). Critical Factors that Lead to Projects’ Success/Failure in Global Marketplace. Retrieved from: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82098133.pdf