Improvement of IT Infrastructure in the Organization

Question: Discuss the recommendations for the improvement of IT infrastructure in the organization. Answer: Introduction The role of Information Technology (IT) is crucial in the modern day organizations (Davenport, 2013). The success of an organization depends on the extent of the adoption of information technology. It is important to determine the details of the IT infrastructure in a business scenario. There are different dimensions of IT discussed in this report. The organization- British Airways is selected for the purpose of the study. The later stages of the report discuss the recommendations for the improvement of IT infrastructure in the organization. Need of IT The success of a business is dependent on various factors. The innovation and the creation provided by the Information Technology are unmatched with the other factors. The IT factor has numerous benefits in modern organizations (Avram, 2014). The IT provides an opportunity for specific data analysis and proper planning of the business. IT provides several tools, which can simplify the solution of complex problems faced in an organization (Avram, 2014). There is a scope of the prediction of future growth of the business using IT software. The digital marketing tactics, which are a boon to the modern day organizations, rely heavily on the IT. The British Airways has realized the importance of IT in their operational activities (Ustamer, Durmaz Lei, 2015). The airline has relied heavily on the implementation of technological advancements for the purpose of streamlining the business practices. The IT has helped the airlines in the removal of complexities and reducing the operational costs. The airline company has realized that the disadvantages of the manual processes and hence switched over to the automatic process (which employ information technology). British Airways has introduced new software for the ease of supply chain operations known as XelusPlan (Ustamer, Durmaz Lei, 2015). Importance of IT for business survival The information technology is a modern day phenomenon, which has revolutionized the way the businesses operate. The information technology has made it possible to increase the operational efficiency of the companies (Drnevich Croson, 2013). It has also helped the companies to increase as well as improve the production process or service delivery. The information technology helps the companies to produce enormous volumes of products in the least time frame. This makes it easier for the company to maintain excellent customer satisfaction (Drnevich Croson, 2013). A business entity, which is loved by the customers, is surely going to survive for a longer period. The advantages of information technology like cloud computing and modern communication, helps the managers to formulate a global organization and the efficient management of the virtual workplaces all around the world (Drnevich Croson, 2013). The management of cross-border workplaces have become convenient, time-saving and eas y, all due the widespread use of the information technology. The information technology has enabled the managers to undertake accurate decisions in the least possible time (Drnevich Croson, 2013). Requirements of IT implementation The implementation of information technology should be planned, structure and suitable for the particular organization. The British Airways has formulated a detailed information technology implementation guideline (Schwalbe, 2015). The IT implementation guideline comprises of the details of the implementation stages and the associated factors (Schwalbe, 2015). There are some factors related to IT implementation like the planning of finance, the design of IT infrastructure, installation and training of the concerned personnel (Schwalbe, 2015). The implementation costs would include the cost of the software, procurement costs, maintenance cost and the cost associated with training (Schwalbe, 2015). The financial costs include hardware costs, software installation and the software licenses. The maintenance costs like hosting, software licenses, contracts, and technical supports (Schwalbe, 2015). The information technology design should be done in such a way so that it can benefit the maximum number of stakeholders (Tran et al., 2013). The interconnections of the information technology between the departments are mandatory for the success of the IT plan. The design should meet the requirements of the employees of the organization (Tran et al., 2013). The below diagram gives an idea about the design of the IT infrastructure. Fig: Design of IT infrastructure The formulation of IT design is followed by the development/procurement, which is further followed by the installation of the system in the client site (Holtshouse, 2013). The installation process is followed by the training of the employees (Holtshouse, 2013). The various employees in the British Airways, like cabin crew, ground staffs, airport staffs, are provided training, so that it becomes easier to adopt the new IT system. Process of IT usage The information technology is used by the internal as well as external customers. The internal customers include the employees of the organization who are working for the betterment of the organization (Belobaba, Odoni Barnhart, 2015). The technology is a vital process used by the airline industry. The operational efficiency is improved due to the technological advancements. The British Airways can reduce their operational costs and the improvement of operations by utilizing advanced aircraft technology (Belobaba, Odoni Barnhart, 2015). The airline has incorporated advanced engine technology, mobile technology, and IT solutions. The airline employees can provide enhanced travel experience for the passengers and create a better framework of connectivity (Tambe, Hitt Brynjolfsson, 2012). The employees of the airline also use information technology to reduce fuel costs and for the ease of performing operational activities. The IT is used not only by the airline employees but used by the passengers also, who are the external customers of British Airways. The booking process, check-in process, baggage handling process, the issue of the boarding pass, all require the usage of information technology (Tambe, Hitt Brynjolfsson, 2012). Advantages of IT in business The information technology is a boon to the modern organizations. The operational process cannot be imagined without the IT intervention (Shanmugam, Srinivas Reddy, 2014). There is increased flexibility in the work processes due to the automation of the workflows. For example, the issuance of the boarding pass is the computerized process, which involves the minimal number of manual processes. It saves a lot of time, finances, and resources of the company (Shanmugam, Srinivas Reddy, 2014). The increased flexibility of the workflows causes minimum turnaround time for the customers or the passengers, who are availing the services of the company (Shanmugam, Srinivas Reddy, 2014). This leads to increased customer satisfaction rates. The happy customers signify that they would come back to the same airline or refer their family or friends to fly with the same airline. This means there would be increased revenue for the airlines. The utilization of the information technology signifies that there would be a decrease in the operational cost (Shanmugam, Srinivas Reddy, 2014). There is minimal need for manual labor as a result of the automation processes. This makes the airline organization to enhance their balance sheets. The decrease in the operational costs and the increase in the revenue generation would lead to increased profits for the company. Risks of IT in business The IT infrastructure has many benefits, but it has many risk elements as well. There is a growing concern of security, privacy and confidentiality of the IT systems (Ren, Wang Wang, 2012). There are increased instances of hacking and illegitimate access to the systems. The personalized access control of the IT system is considered a breakthrough innovation, but it poses the greatest risk factors as far as security is concerned. The hacking of the access control poses biggest security challenges (Ren, Wang Wang, 2012). There are instances of malware attacks and illegitimate access to the systems (Ren, Wang Wang, 2012). There are often instances of privacy breach, and the confidential information of the company is unlawfully accessed by the outsiders. There are rising instances of cyber crimes in the modern age organizations. Maintenance and monitoring of IT The rising security issues of the IT systems have made it compulsory for the organizations to monitor and maintain their IT infrastructures (Pierce, Snow McAfee, 2014). The organizations engage in the real time monitoring of the IT systems so that they can detect any abnormal activity. The IT systems are monitored and reported on a real time basis. The annual maintenance contracts of the network, equipment, applications, and servers are done in the organizations in order to maintain optimum technology features (Pierce, Snow McAfee, 2014). Recommendations Information Technology plays a vital role in the day to day operations. The budget allocation should be done in such a manner that sufficient funds are allocated for the IT infrastructures. There is a need for careful selection of the IT systems, which match the organizational requirements. There is also need to install suitable security measures and proper surveillance systems so that the confidential data are not openly accessible to an outsider. Conclusion The Information Technology has innumerable benefits to the modern day organizations. The companies are enjoying greater revenues and greater profits as a result of the implementation of IT systems. This report gives a clear idea regarding the details of the IT infrastructures, the benefits of the organization as well as the associated risks of the IT systems. This guide will surely make the organizations develop, implement and monitor their IT systems in an efficient manner. References Avram, M. G. (2014). 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