Kind of lost on where to start with this. I need to find Strategic Alternatives
ID: 448227 • Letter: K
Question
Kind of lost on where to start with this. I need to find Strategic Alternatives (What, How, Who, When, Where) for 1. and 2.
"Issues:
1) Information Systems (Internal force): Some of the information systems developed by Ford focus on supply chain management. These systems require several organizations to share information and business processes. It can be challenging for each participant to change its process and the way it uses information to create a system that best serves the supply chain as whole. Additionally, different companies have different policies...with this in mind Ford cannot collect information fully from their suppliers if some information is held back.
2) Data Warehousing and Architecture (Internal force): While many of Ford's information systems continue to provide significant returns, The Company has never established a central organization that is responsible for data warehousing activities and architecture. As a result, there is very little consistency in processes, tremendous data redundancy, application redundancy, inefficient data architecture, and inconsistent technologies utilized across these systems. All of these factors create a very large IT cost drain and limit Ford’s ability to build quality data warehousing systems. In addition, these numerous, “stove pipe” decision support systems satisfy specific informational requirements, but do not enable higher-level decisions based on an integrated view of this information."
EXAMPLE:
Issues:
One fact facing BLM is the fact that its target market is very narrow. The company's research shows that its average customer is a married white male in his mid-fourties who makes around 79,000 a year.
Alternative:
What: Offer more bikes tailored to women. Most of the company's bikes are heavy and designed to fit men. We need to design and develop completely ne products designed for women.
How: Find out what female riders want in a motercycle. This can be done by completing an online survey for a select amount of female customers. Ask about their experiences with the products.
Who: Individuals from the marketing area will be responsible for creating and administering the surveys.
When: This should be started immediately.
Where: In the U.S.
Explanation / Answer
Strategic Alternative to Ford’s Information systems
Centralized-Information System strategy
IT is the crucial backbone for globalization with its worldwide information network for Ford Motor Company. It ensures the fast and effective communication and security of information flow between employees and various facilities globally.
Ford needs a centralized-IT strategy to help achieve its goals. Ford needs to merge the various computing centers to achieve a global network capability. Uniform applications and support processes are basic requirements of the strategy, even if local centers for local applications remain in existence temporarily.
The Digital Worker IT initiative is very important for communication, for video and data conferences, data sharing, Voice over IP telephony (VoIP).
Suppliers and partners can also be brought into these tools. More cost effective options can be pursued if different global cost levels are exploited optimally in IT.
Centralized information system also helps customer, use its features – reading SMS, transmitting diagnoses and emergency calls, navigating or looking for the least expensive gas stations.
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