IT Systems Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

IT Systems Strategy - Essay Example Many organisations continue to invest heavily on information technologies with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of their operations and information systems. However, technology tools alone cannot be used to address discordant organizational information structures. According to Petrides (2004) such technology-focused problem solving strategies may in fact do the opposite, which is to prevent organisations from successfully capitalizing on their use of technology because they tend to overlook organisation-wide symptoms. One major area that the above strategies fail to capture is the information tacitly held by employees that is critical yet rarely documented. Knowledge is universally recognized as the most important strategic asset that an organisation has. The challenge though is that knowledge cannot be managed directly. According to Streatfield and Wilson in Henczel (2000) only the information about the knowledge possessed by people in organisations can be managed. This i s why the need for information auditing becomes critical. Good information management an essential prerequisite to knowledge management. Information audit will therefore be the first step in developing a knowledge management strategy or improving the strategy that Primark Stores Limited may already have to ensure that the organization is managing the knowledge it needs to manage to remain competitive and successful. There is no universally accepted definition of an information audit. According to the Association for Information Management in the UK, an information audit is â€Å"the systematic evaluation of information use, resources and flows, with a verification by reference to both people and existing documents in order to establish the extent to which they are contributing to an organisation’s objectives (Henczel, 2000, p.215)†. With regard to purpose, the information audit process will enable Primark Stores Limited to achieve the following four key functions: (1 ) to identify Primark’s information needs and assign each of these needs their level of strategic importance; (2) to discover and classify the resources and services currently provided to meet Primark’s information needs; (3) to map information flows within Primark and between Primark and its suppliers, buyers and rivals; and (4) to analyse inefficiencies, duplications or gaps and areas of over-provision so as to detect where changes need to be made. By fulfilling these functions, an information audit will enable Primark track and identify each resource and service that supports organizational objectives. The audit will also allow Primark to rate each resource according to its strategic significance. In which case, the information audit could be structured to include an examination of IT tools that can aid effective information management. At the corporate or strategic level, the results of an information audit will provide a knowledge base that can be used for making management decisions about information sources, identify strategic information needs via information needs assessment and can be used as the basis for formulating an organisational information policy. The Financial Director of Primark Stores Limited needs to understand that an information audit reflects the organisation in its entirety and how it works. The process is, preferably, conducted by an independent team so as to

Annotating Photos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Annotating Photos - Essay Example The second photograph shows a refining zone with cloud emissions. The area is de-forested and there is no sign of life in the neighborhood. This photo clearly depicts the effects of consumption on the environment and the people since there are no residential houses in the neighborhood. The third photograph shows the shore line which has being lowed with a sub-marine at a distance. The sea shore also appears to be deforested and lifeless and it is quite eminent that the harbor is not well developed due to pollution in the neighborhood. The forth photograph was selected because it clearly depicts a well established and developed oil refinery in the given region. In refining non-renewable sources of energy like fossil fuels, the refinery emits smog which pollutes the environment by forming acid rain. The fifth photograph clearly shows smog being produced from the emission of the production of fossil fuels i.e. oil in oil cylinders. The smog leads to the formation of acid rain which leads to increased temperatures since heat collects in air thus making it thick and intense. The six photographs show automobiles collecting raw materials like sand from the sea shore. Two other private cars are also seen in the region. Automobiles consume non-renewable sources of energy i.e. oil which pollutes the environment consequently leading to global warming. The seventh photograph shows deforested land with ... The eighth photograph shows a raised sea level. Two automobiles i.e. a private van and a ferrying lorry are at work. Consumption of fossil fuels by automobiles and other forms of production and processing leads to raised levels of the atmospheric temperatures makes sea waters to evaporate. The ninth photograph shows a deforested coastal area with heaps of collected raw materials i.e. sand from the sea shore. This sand is to be ferried away for consumption which leads to lowered sea levels consequently leading to de-forestation which increases atmospheric temperatures. The tenth photograph depicts a town dwelling/a city with sky scrappers, monuments, artifacts, trains and other forms of public and private transport. These consume fossil fuels especially oil which lead to pollution thus affecting visibility in the region. The eleventh photograph shows a manufacturing factory at the background with the foreground being left deforested and without any form of life or human dwelling. Use of non-renewable sources of energy lead to emission of smoke which affects visibility and leads to formation of acid rain. Finally, the last photograph shows a production factory i.e. steel works. The environment is deforested and there is no form of life or residential dwelling in the region. The production factory emits smoke which leads to increased temperatures thus global warming which affects the environment adversely. Taking photographs in Alba was not such an easy and pleasant task. The photographer had to withstand adverse heat, smog, poor visibility and unwelcoming sceneries. Most of the land was deserted thus the photographer could seek help or ask any guidance. The photographer realized that the land in Alba was in such a dismal state and the temperatures