The objective of this project is to investigate factors that help or impede enterprise IT’s ability to contribute to new IT application areas such as product and service-embedded IT, and business intelligence. We will do this primarily through case examples, through which we will develop points of view and proposals for assisting enterprise IT avoid isolation.

Key questions

The project seeks answers to the following questions:

• What is the actual relationship of enterprise IT to other IT development groups and activities in the company, particularly in the product units, or perhaps in strategy or marketing units concerned with business intelligence? Where does cooperation exist, and where does it not?

• What is the effect of introducing a shared services structure for enterprise IT? How does this affect cooperation between enterprise IT and other units concerned with IT?

• What are the factors contributing to the isolation of enterprise IT? Industry? Structural? Leadership? Other?

• When enterprise IT is in a SS unit, but has been able to contribute to the new IT developments (that is, has avoided isolation), how have they done it?

• What contribution can be made through the business relationship management (BRM) role? Through the creation of a separate office of the CEO?

• What difference does the presence (or absence) of an outsourcer make?

• What are the CSFs that the CIO and enterprise IT should have in mind to counter isolation and contribute more broadly to IT development across the firm?

• What are the implications for IT organization, IT governance?

Focus industries

We plan to interview 25-30 organizations in the US and Europe, focusing on industries where the application of IT in new and non-traditional areas is most pronounced. These include:

• Advanced, high tech products (for example, machine tools, autos, telecoms).

• Defence and aerospace.

• IT industry itself (for example, hardware, software, telecoms).

• Healthcare products and services.

• Financial services (banking, insurance, investment management).

• Pharmaceuticals.

• Technology-intermediated services (for example, hotels).

Multiple, non-competing, firms will be interviewed in each sector, providing interesting comparisons and insights.

Interviews

We would like to interview senior business and IT executives in large organizations in these industries. No preparation for the interview is required; we are interested in executives’ ‘front of mind’ reactions. We generally need about 90 minutes to explore all the issues.

Benefits to participants

Participating executives will gain a much better understanding of the factors contributing to cooperation between enterprise IT and other IT groups and activities in the firm. They will receive copies of the final report and will also be invited to a major project workshop to be held in London towards the end of the year. Here, they will have a chance to discuss IT and business management issues directly with other participant executives, as well as comment on the research findings from the LEF Executive Programme.