In recent articles, we’ve discussed the ways IT in the enterprise is changing. Generally speaking, IT is becoming more complex, powerful and essential. Business executives can no longer afford to simply assume the IT department will handle all of these technologies and strategies itself. On the contrary, in order to bridge the tech chasm and account for rapidly-expanding technology trends, IT must be a factor when making business decisions. To that end, a basic understanding of the main components of IT is essential.
Previously, we covered the network and security – two main elements of concern when aligning an organization’s mission with tech trends. Now, we’ll look at expertise- the final key ingredient to successful executive decision making.
IT expertise
In every aspect of business, leaders must assign the roles of their employees with consideration to both short and long term trends. Before technology gained speed, executives could have safely assumed the IT department would be capable of managing all necessary functions. Unfortunately for many firms, this is no longer the case, and alternative solutions are needed.
Basically, there are three options that business executives should consider. The first is familiar: keeping all IT operations in-house. But while this is not always feasible, it does feature undeniable benefits. Most notably, it offers familiarity and a sense of trust when the resources you use are located in the company building.
However, because of increasing complexity, many firms’ own IT departments simply lack the expertise, experience or resources to effectively oversee all of the company’s technology. This may lead to a necessary choice in outsourcing all IT responsibilities to a third-party. This may be especially true for smaller firms, for which a robust, full-time IT team may not be financially justifiable. Relying on part-time or overly specialized workers can lead to oversights and inefficiencies.
Finally, businesses can pursue a hybrid solution, keeping certain IT responsibilities in-house while outsourcing others. Partnering with managed IT services providers can offer greater performance than most in-house services. They can handle the majority of day-to-day operations, enabling the company’s IT department to devote its attention to higher-level issues, like better utilizing software specific to that organization’s needs.
For some organizations, this represents a best-of-both-worlds approach. For others, though, it may be more efficient to simply choose either of the previous options. In either case, the first step to a better, more efficient IT solution for your business, is becoming familiar with your current environment. Making the right decision concerning how the business’s IT needs will be met is a high-level talk for business executives. With the right amount of information, leaders can successfully bridge the tech chasm and ultimately leverage technology to achieve the company mission.
