MIS D-III BI

The growing importance of IT in businesses globally cannot be overstated. The emergence of interactivity applications has revolutionized the way companies connect, communicate, collaborate, and conduct commerce. This transformation has been made possible by the integration of broadband telecommunications, the Internet, digital communications, high-performance mobile devices, and the digitization of all media content. The resulting infrastructure of information technology (IT) has paved the way for the next wave of IT developments and breakthroughs.

Managers must recognize the profound impact of new IT capabilities, such as e-commerce and social networks, on competitive strategies and operational efficiency. For instance, envision the disadvantage a traditional international retailer like U.S.-based Walmart or France’s Galeries Lafayette would face if they did not engage in e-commerce. Similarly, consider the potential ramifications for a news service like Reuters that did not incorporate multimedia, or for a network like CNN that did not offer RSS feeds and podcasts in its media mix.

The failure to invest in IT could indeed lead companies to exit the market. The continuous advancements in IT are integral to all business disciplines, as they instigate changes in marketing, operations, e-commerce, logistics, human resources, finance, accounting, and relationships with customers and business partners. IT resonates throughout every aspect of business and corporate strategy, influencing the activities and actions a company chooses to invest in and perform, as well as those it opts not to pursue.