Exam Paper: Strategic IT Management – COMP 8031, Cork Institute of Technology, 2008/09, Exams of Information Technology

Download Exam Paper: Strategic IT Management – COMP 8031, Cork Institute of Technology, 2008/09 and more Exams Information Technology in PDF only on Docsity!

CORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

INSTITIÚID TEICNEOLAÍOCHTA CHORCAÍ

Semester 2 Examinations 2008/

Module Title: Strategic IT Management

Module Code: COMP 8031

School: Computing and Mathematics

Programme Title: Bachelor of Science in Software Development – Award Bachelor of Science in Software Development and Computer Networking - Award Bachelor of Science (Honours) in IT Management – Award Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Services Management - Award

Programme Code: KSDEV_8_Y KDNET_8_Y KITMN_8_Y KCSMN_8_Y

Programme Code: COMP

External Examiner(s): Mr. James Greenslade Internal Examiner(s): Mr. Gerard Culley

Instructions: Answer Question 1 and Choose Two Questions from The Remaining Four Questions.

Duration: Two Hours

Sitting: Summer 2009

Requirements for this examination:

Note to Candidates: Please check the Programme Title and the Module Title to ensure that you have received the correct examination paper. If in doubt please contact an Invigilator.

Q1. Describe what each of the following terms mean, Clarify your description by giving clear examples. (a) IT Roadmap (b) Business Benefits Realisation (c) Business Architecture (d) PID (e) SMART Objectives (f) Smart Sourcing (g) ITIL [30 Marks]

Q2. (a) “Particularly given today’s Global Economic Conditions, it is more critical than ever that IT investments can be justified in terms of yielding maximum business benefit”. Discuss this statement using Gartner’s 5 Pillar’s of business realisation to explain your answer. [15 Marks] (b) Using the scenario below and the Gartner 5 Pillars of business value realisation. Review the following 3 projects and recommend which one should be put forward for implementation. Justify you answer with a table to outline the selection process.

“You are working as the financial controller in an insurance company. You are looking at the proposed roadmap of IT projects for 2010 and need to select one from the three projects proposed. The company is looking to grow its revenue and profit for 2010. Any change in the companies processes will need to go through relevant employee union approval process “ Please select the project you recommend from the list below, clearly explain the justification to your selection, using Gartner’s pillars of business value realisation. Projects Complexity Cost New email system to improve internal communications Simple 70. Website overhaul to new look and brand. Growing internet channel sales and searches

Medium 100,

New ERP system backend system to change all insurance pricing systems and linkages to all other internal systems

High Process change & complexity

200,

[20 Marks] [Total 35 Marks]

Q3. (a) An effective Enterprise Architecture is crucial part of any long term IT strategy. However creating an IT Systems Architecture which will be effective in your organisation is a skill that many have failed to master. Discuss some of the challenges and risks that exist to creating an effective enterprise architecture and also outline some solutions your have learned to deal with these risks. [20 Marks] (b) Using the scenario below outline the steps involved in creating an enterprise architecture and explain the sequence of each of the steps.

“You are working as the CIO in an online stock trading company. The company is looking to grow its revenue and profit for 2010 and has significant money to invest in IT. The company is relatively new so business process change and system change are somewhat straightforward. The company is risk averse and has the following goals in 2010

• Grow profit by 30%
• No downtime
• Rapidly changing business processes
• Increase Customer Satisfaction“ [15 Marks] [Total 35 Marks]

Q4. (a) Using the PMI framework discussed in class, Describe the 5 key phases involved in project Management. Also describe the deliverables created during each phase of a project. [15 Marks] (b) “Good Governance has become a critical factor in the successful delivery of an IT Strategy”. Discuss this statement giving examples from case studies covered in class to support your opinion. List out some of the key IT Governance frameworks used in business today. [20 Marks] [Total 35 Marks]

Q5. (a) Explain the factors which influence an organisations decision to make IT solutions internally or to buy IT solutions from package vendors. Outline the pros and cons of both approaches. [15 Marks] (b) Accountability, Authority and Responsibility, each of these factors are required to create an effective management framework within an organisation. Explain the implications for the company and for a manager in each of the following scenario.

• Authority and Responsibility are present, but Accountability is not created
• Accountability and Responsibility exist, without the authority
• Authority and Accountability existing, without the responsibility [20 Marks]