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MGSC 6204 – A General Guide to Case Study Preparation

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Introduction: Lesson 2 of each MGSC 6204 Week focuses on a business case study that provides a real-world context for the application of the foundational readings and tools covered in each Lesson 1. Note: all case study assignments are due by the end of Day 5 in the Week that they are assigned. The cases in question include: Week 1/ Lesson 2:  Richard M. Kesner, “KL Enterprises, Inc.: Putting Information Technology to Work,”

(IVEY Publications, 2005), includes Appendix documents, IVEY#9B05E023. [purchased via Bookstore]

Week 2/Lesson 2:  Jeanne W. Ross and Cynthia M. Beath, “USAA: Organizing for Innovation and

Superior Customer Service,” (MIT Sloan Center for Information Systems Research, CISR WP No. 382, 2010).

Week 3/Lesson 2:

 Cynthia M. Beath and Jeanne W. Ross, “PepsiAmericas: Building an Information Savvy Company,” (MIT Sloan Center for Information Systems Research, CISR WP No. 378, 2010).

To complement each case study, the instructor has provided discussion questions to which the student must respond. The discussion questions will assist the student in focusing on what is most relevant within the case as this content pertains to MGSC 6204. General Recommendations: As MBA candidates, students of MGSC 6204 will have already worked through any number of business case analyses. The reader is therefore aware that business cases only provide part of the story, and that he/she must contribute a personal point of view in assessing and expanding upon the content of the case. For the purposes of MGSC 6204, the instructor would ask that you keep the following points in mind when preparing business cases for this particular course:

 Each case has been selected for its appropriateness for the particular MGSC 6204 Week where it is employed. Above all the case in question should illuminate the theme for that Week:

o Week 1: Alignment – ensuring that any investment in information systems aligns with the strategic, tactical and operation needs of the

MGSC 6204 – A General Guide to Case Study Preparation

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enterprise through the effective and efficient application of information to enable operations, decision making, and innovation.

o Week 2: Integration – employing information resources, systems and technologies to allow far-flung global, and at times virtual, organizations to operate successfully, managing complexity and diversity with focus, speed, and economy.

o Week 3: Innovation – harnessing information resources, systems and technologies that redefine/reinvent the business and that catalyze revolutionary changes of all types and descriptions within organizations.

 Always assess the merits of a particular IT investment in the context of the

enterprise operations, management and innovation; do not overlook external as well as internal business drivers for new IT adoption.

 Consider the critical success factors in the adoption of a particular enabling

technology, including the presence of: o business unit leadership/sponsorship of the project o a consensus on the project’s priority among other corporate activities o the sufficiency of staff time and other resources devoted to the project o the adoption of proper controls for the management of the process and

the measurement of project outcomes o the alignment of project outcomes with the strategic needs of the

organization

 Lastly, consider what it takes to sustain the IT investments discussed within the case study, including:

o the total cost of system ownership (TCO) o associated business process reengineering o the need for ongoing system maintenance and support o the need for ongoing end user training and support.