Managing Strategy and Innovation

Reflecting after completing the module of Managing Strategy and Innovation, I see myself with a better critical knowledge of Information Technology. Particularly, the IT importance for organisations in implementing their strategy; how the organisation is structured and how they put in place mechanisms that enable business to remain flexible and relevant as changes in technology advance in the industry.

I believe that for the successful implementation of IT, the priority should aim at the business remaining competitive. Technology companies are valuable because they are innovative in transforming customer's need. The blue ocean strategy allowed companies to enter an nonexistent demand market, afterwards, customers are so addicted that they do not see themselves without the use of such technologies. For instance, smartphones and laptops.

The deep and reflective study of Information Technology and Innovation has enabled me to understand how crucial IT is today as part of a wider business strategy.

My work experience provided a distinct perspective for adopting IT. Firstly, while working as an intern at a travel agency, the company faced challenges due to the internet disruption where information on packages, accommodations and flight tickets became easily accessible at a lower cost. This is because most of the time, there were no fees for the third party involved. However, the agency still maintained customers, because some would not trust the internet, others were afraid to provide security information to unknown websites, and sometimes they were exposed to a variety of options, resulting in, sometimes, difficult for customers to decide the option that would suit best. Unfortunately, a couple of years later, this travel agency closed due to potential bankruptcy. The main reason was not internet disruption, but the economic scenario that led to rise in unemployed people, companies were not hiring and the cost of living became more expensive. This impacted on people’s ability to travel and tourism was considered a luxury activity.

Another reflection is on a burger restaurant chain in Dublin that I worked with; so less than 5 years since its first opening, they have four units in prime areas in Dublin and one unit in Cork. However, what makes them successful is its burger recipe. The owner found a way to do better burgers than anyone in Ireland and he still holds this position as the best burger in the Country. But by doing something better than anyone else did not require from them a heavy investment in IT yet, such as mobile application to increase the burger sales.

So, what should I do with such knowledge? Well, my future actions would be to identify opportunities where IT systems can be used to disrupt an industry, such as the health industry or help cities. This learning will allow me to be even more skeptical. Based on my detailed study of this topic and analysis of articles written over the past years, it is evident that changes in technology are happening increasingly quick. Additionally, based on historical evidence, it is likely that the next five to ten years will bring even greater changes in IT at an even faster rate. Therefore, understanding changes in IT and remaining flexible and open to change will be imperative when working within an organisation.