Dennis,
Depending on what case studies you know about and your knowledge of organizational management, you may compare/contrast the decision criteria used by different levels of management in any organization (not just with IT) and how it affects/determines corporate success.
Senior enterprise managers, much like national politicians, must have high-level perspectives, goals, rules/procedures, and interfaces. They simply are not effective if they care who has the window office or the newest desk (or in IT, the newest/fastest/best computer/network or software – like Windows 10). Corporate key success factors are far more important than minor cost savings, efficiencies, and personnel. Often risk mitigation, monitoring, and management plans expend resources on “Plan B” or “Plan C” contingencies that are never used. Actually, if IT managers did a better job of planning, they would be a microcosm of enterprise management. My best example is the U.S. military’s approach to world conflict – sometimes using “shock and awe" (it's expensive).
IT management is consumed by details of project integration like scope, time, cost, quality, personnel, risk, and procurement. They must care about short life-cycles of equipment/software and about personnel turnover. Often, IT decisions determine corporate capabilities, but executives usually have to explain that to the typical IT manager and when IT managers are directed to operate in sub-optimal levels for the overall good of the enterprise, often there is resistance.
Specific to network management, the Internet of Things or some wearable technology may be attractive to IT people, but until they have an enterprise vision with effective use cases, enterprise management might view it as “just another toy.” This is why consensus – not “coping with the differences” – is a corporate key success factor.
Now, intentionally, I did not write the explanation that the problem asked you to write, but I hope I have stirred your mind to think of cases of problems and successes that will answer it. Focus, as the problem stated, on (formal or informal) decision making criteria.
Best wishes.
Depending on what case studies you know about and your knowledge of organizational management, you may compare/contrast the decision criteria used by different levels of management in any organization (not just with IT) and how it affects/determines corporate success.
Senior enterprise managers, much like national politicians, must have high-level perspectives, goals, rules/procedures, and interfaces. They simply are not effective if they care who has the window office or the newest desk (or in IT, the newest/fastest/best computer/network or software – like Windows 10). Corporate key success factors are far more important than minor cost savings, efficiencies, and personnel. Often risk mitigation, monitoring, and management plans expend resources on “Plan B” or “Plan C” contingencies that are never used. Actually, if IT managers did a better job of planning, they would be a microcosm of enterprise management. My best example is the U.S. military’s approach to world conflict – sometimes using “shock and awe" (it's expensive).
IT management is consumed by details of project integration like scope, time, cost, quality, personnel, risk, and procurement. They must care about short life-cycles of equipment/software and about personnel turnover. Often, IT decisions determine corporate capabilities, but executives usually have to explain that to the typical IT manager and when IT managers are directed to operate in sub-optimal levels for the overall good of the enterprise, often there is resistance.
Specific to network management, the Internet of Things or some wearable technology may be attractive to IT people, but until they have an enterprise vision with effective use cases, enterprise management might view it as “just another toy.” This is why consensus – not “coping with the differences” – is a corporate key success factor.
Now, intentionally, I did not write the explanation that the problem asked you to write, but I hope I have stirred your mind to think of cases of problems and successes that will answer it. Focus, as the problem stated, on (formal or informal) decision making criteria.
Best wishes.
