The article \"IT Doesn\'t Matter\" by Nicholas G. Carr from the May, 2003 Harvar

Question

The article "IT Doesn't Matter" by Nicholas G. Carr from the May, 2003 Harvard Business Review is available here: http://www.roughtype.com/archives/2007/01/it_doesnt_matte.php

Read all parts of the article carefully. After you understand Carr's arguments, find at least one article that presents an opposite view. You may use Internet searches to do this, but find an article from a high quality source. One source of high-quality articles is the ACM Digital Library (you are not expected to use material that requires payment of a fee for this or any other assignment in this course). You may also use any other source, including books and periodicals in the university library near you.

In no more than two or three paragraphs, take the position of the "prosecuting attorney," i.e. of Mr. Carr. Summarize and defend Carr's arguments using material from the essay and also material from your outside reading. Then, in another two or three paragraphs, present the opinion of the "defense attorney," using material from one or more articles that present the opposing view. Finally, play the role of the judge and, in two or three more paragraphs, render a decision.

Tell which point of view is the correct one and why. You may quote from your articles. Be sure to cite your sources when you do that. Use APA style in your answers. Please note - a "good" essay will clearly present two distinct sides of the argument and a ruling. Regardless of which side you favor, you must clearly and succinctly present an opposing side.

Explanation / Answer

A set of related arguments that Carr makes is that scarcity, uniqueness, and proprietary technologies bring about strategic advantage and lock-in the vendor (Carr, 2003, pp.6-9). Healso states that a

s information technology’s power and ubiquity has grown, its strategic

importance has diminished (Carr, 2003, pp. 5-6). Finally, he argues that information technology(IT) can no longer be used to gain a strategic competitive advantage (Carr, 2003, pp.6).

The second set of arguments that Carr makes is that information technology has become anon-proprietary commodity, invisible, and has therefore become an infrastructure technology.

This doesn’t mean that “IT doesn’t matter” – it does, but for the majority just in the same way that electricity does. When it is not available you feel the most of its importance in your life and think about utilizing it in most meaningful manners. He is right at some point when we see I.T is being used like as it is not being appreciated at a level where it should be. Due to this it is losing its importance on ground while being there all the time. I.T in its sub divisional sections therefore gets ignored some time, on scale when it could have played a major role in development of corporation's advance operations.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse T
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.