Overview of the Final Project: On successful completion of this module, particip

Overview of the Final Project:
On successful completion of this module, participants should:
Demonstrate a range of techniques that will help to describe and analyze business processes
Illustrate which analytical skills likely to be needed for a business process analysis project
Recommend ways in which IT enables more flexible business processes
Demonstrate an understanding of business process modeling using the business canvas template as a guide to enable process
For the final assignment, you will read all the business architecture readings listed in the class schedule. Using Akamai as the target, complete the business canvas template. You will also need to write a report and integrate the information you collected in the business canvas. You should consider:
What the business does and its stated strategic direction.
What are the gaps the business needs to fill to meet its goals?
What are the strategic implications of the information system/information technology system in meeting the business goals of Akamai?
How do you align the technology with the business?
Why is this particular information system/information technology application significant in the context of current and future business strategy for this firm?
You are encouraged to use additional data sources for this project but make sure you document
What types of data sources were used (business periodicals, company literature, research, personal interviewing of key contacts in the firm)?
You will analyze the system for the application of appropriate IT management principles, and determine if the IT system being studied provides a sustainable competitive advantage in a ‘real-world organization.
Structure for the report:
You will have two parts to complete Assignment 5:
A completed business canvas using the template as a guide
and a paper:
The business canvas should use the business canvas template and be complete, organized, and readable.
The paper should follow APA format and structure. Here is a suggested outline:Introduction A brief overview of what the firms in this industry do and how they do it.
Also, who are the major players in this industry?
What is the state of competition in this industry? (You may to think about this in terms of the 5-forces model)
What factors tend to determine the basis of competitive advantage in this industry?
Introduction to the firm being investigated: [1 page suggested length]What does the firm do?
How big is the firm [Example: # of employees, assets, annual revenue]
What are the firm’s primary products or services that it manufactures/delivers?
The general relevance of information technology to this industry: [1 or 2 pages suggested length]:Do firms use information technology in a wide range or a narrow range of business activities?
Has investment in information technology been high or low among firms in this industry?
Do other firms in the industry appear to have employed IT for competitive advantage?
What is the information technology being used for competitive advantage and where is this information technology being used? [2 or 3 pages suggested length]Describe the general business strategy of the investigated firm/organization (ex: Low-cost producer, highest quality service provider, best manufacturing technology innovation, etc.?)
In what business activities (or value chain activity, if you like) is the firm/organization using information technology?
How is the particular information technology application that your team has chosen to study being employed by the firm to (a) enhance the performance of the organization’s business activities & (b) gain competitive advantage?
What special skills, training, or expertise are necessary to operate this enhanced information systems competency of the firm(s)?
How does the competitive advantage manifest itself in respect to business strategy? (Does it yield cost advantages, quality advantages, scope advantages?)
What are some operational and performance benchmarks used by the firm to measure its competitive position in the marketplace? How does IT affect these benchmarks?
Is the competitive advantage yielded by the information technology really a sustainable one? Why is it sustainable? [2 pages suggested length]Could other firms create easily duplicate the organization’s information systems competency? What factors might prevent easy duplication or make it cost too much in terms of time and resources?
In the short term, what are the threats and opportunities in respect to the competitive advantage derived from the organization’s information systems application?
In the medium term, what are the threats to the sustainability of the competitive advantage?
In the true long term, no technologically based competitive advantage (even of nations) is really sustainable – therefore describe the long terms trends that may equalize the information technology found in the organization’s industry or the driving forces that may fundamentally redefine and restructure the industry’s products or services.
Format of the Final ProjectCover-page with: (a) Name of students on the project team, (b) their e-mail addresses, and (c) the title of the firm that has been investigated
12 page maximum with all sources footnoted excluding a full bibliography (2 – 3 pages) with all data sources identified and enumerated: articles, contacts/interviews, Web sites
Double line-spaced!
12-point font!
Submission Instructions:
When you are done, please upload your assignment submission (i.e. the WORD document) to the assignment dropbox Assignment 5: Akamai Case. Your document should be entitled YourLastNameAkamai.doxc and should have a cover page identifying:
Student name
Student E-mail address
Course (MIS 683)
Title
Date of submission
Resources
Akamai’s Localization Challenge
Business Model Canvas
Business Architecture Chart
Business Architecture Readings.
https://www.cio.com/article/3222880/enterprise-architecture/theevolution-of-the-business-architect.html
https://www.toolshero.com/information-technology/capabilitymaturity-model-cmm/