Many of you mentioned that a disruptive technology can change the way that we live
You provided some good references including:
As a business manager at any level, it is your job to think about what might disrupt your business. Even if the potential disruption is a long way into the future, it may take a long time to prepare for it.
You identified a number of disruptive technologies. I have listed many of them in the table below along with my comments
| New or Disruptive Technology | What is replaced? | My Comments |
| Video Streaming | Video Rental Stores and more | Streaming is a technology rather than an improved business process |
| New storage methods | Floppy disks are replaced by CDs. CDs are replaced by DVDs, DVDs are partially replaced by USB drives, most local media can be replaced by cloud storage. | Old technologies are not replaced immediately when a new technology arrives. Many of us still have CDs and computers or other devices that can read them. Blacksmiths and Buggy makers are still working in counties inhabited by the Amish. |
| Client Portal and cloud storage for an Accounting Firm | Old procedures (mail paper), some data entry, and paper file storage | This is an example of the benefit of changes business processes to take advantage of technology. This might be considered disruptive because financial servies firms that do not provide client portals will have difficulty staying in business. |
| Smartphones | Land line phones, cameras, mp3 players, cable television(?), and anything electronic we used to carry with us. | Businesses that do not realize that customers prefer to use mobile devices to interact with the business will have difficulty. |
| e-commerce | Brick and Mortar retailers. (Amazon left no room for Borders Books) | Surviing retailers have e-commerce and a local presence (my opinion) |
| 3D Printing | Old methods of building prototypes and customer parts. It reamins to be seen what will be replaceed | Many local libraries have 3D printers and software that you can use. |
| World Wide Web (publishing) | e-books, blogs, news have partially replaced existing forms of publishing such as newspapers, magazines, and hard cover text books. | |
| Online Learning | Colleges and Universities that do not support Online Learning. My opinion is that this could change the job content for College Professors. Already I use some youtube videos instead of making my own. | I am taking three Data Science Courses from the University of California at Berkely this summer instead of enrolling at Northwestern University due to cost and convenience. |
| Uber, Lyft and the sharing economy | Speculation on my part: Hotels (airbnb), Rental Cars (uber), New Car Dealers (cars will be shared), some public transportation. | Is the big change here technology or a new business process that so far has been able to circumvent taxi cab reguations? |
| Self Service Ordering (McDonalds, Panera) | Either employment will be reduced or same store volume could increase or both | This is more of a business process change that a disruptive technology. However, it may somewhat change the way we live when connected with mobile ordering. |
This question needs to be reworded because it was too easy to decide on centralization. Your reasons for picking centralization were valid. On most either/or questions like this, the answer depends on the type of organization, the industries in which the organization does business, the size of the organiztion(s), and the culture of the company.
There are advantages of centralizing software management in order to keep track of licenses and to get the desireable level of standardization. I say desireable because it does not make sense to standardize on Microsoft Windows and then now allow an exception for the Marketing Department where ads might be best produced with Apple Software or the Research Department where specialized computers might be needed to drive research equipment. Specialized computers might also be needed on the factory floor and these could vary between factories based on the manufacturing processes required.
If centralized IT creates standards and procedures that are "iron clad" and slow, Shadow IT may develop. That's where departments make contracts with clould providers such as Amazon, IBM, or Microsoft to run the software that they believe they need to run their business. This could go on for a number of years before the top level management of the company and the IT department notice it.
You mentioned that you have seen problems sharing spreadsheets between MACs and PCs. If the MACs are using Apple Numbers, conversions may be required. It is possible to install Excel on MACs. It is also possible to use the Open Source Package Office Libre on both MACs and PCs.
Many of you commented that it is important for IT to get input from all stakeholders including people that need to use the software and systems that are selected centrally. An example was given where IT selected a package that did not fit the business and after a significant effort, the investment had to be abandoned.
If IT is centralized, it is important to have a good governance system. Domincan IT collects input through a number of sources including an Academic IT Committee and an Administrative IT Committee. Lack of good governance can lead to Shadow IT and frustration.
If you have any ideas on how to explore this topic with a better Discussion question, please let me know your ideas (jmiller@dom.edu).
W4D2 Centralize or Decentralize