A computer Hardware Selection Strategy for Information Systems Development : A Case of T Coil Service Center

정보시스템 구축시 컴퓨터 하드웨어의 선정전략 - T 철강회사의 시스템 선정 사례 -

Recently, executives learned of the strategic impact that information systems (IS) and information technology (IT) could provide to their organizations. In other words, through IS/IT companies could squelch competition, secure suppliers, obtain customer loyalty, reduce the threat of new entrants, and identify new opportunities. Because of these potential benefits, organizations are investing ever-increasing amount of organizational resources in IS/IT to make their organizations as information-based ones. Information-based organizations depend largely upon computer hardwares and softwares for their ongoing operations and management. Thus, organizations must manage their information resources, especially hardwares and softwares very effectively to remain competitive. Information resource management (IRI) is a program of activities directed at making effective use of information technology within an organization. These activities cover from corporate IS/IT planning to application system development, implementation, and maintenance. In more detail, IRV activities include planning for and acquiring computer hardwares and communication equipments, planning for, selection, and management of software development projects, and re-engineering business processes as IS/IT are integrated into organizational management. Among these activities, planning for and acquisition of computer hardwares, and planning for and management of software projects are the most critical ones since these activities require enormous amount of such important corporate resources as money, people, and time. Furthermore, corporate's eventual success largely depends upon whether corporate's policy on IS/IT is effective one or not. Numerous approaches and concepts to specific IRM activities have been proposed. However, many organizations have experienced various problems in the process of applying these approaches to their IRM activities mainly because existing methodologies and guidelines are too general to adapt to each firm's unigue situation. Also, these approaches are having its own strengths and weaknesses. Thus, people in charge of organization's IRM policy should come up with effective guidelines to maintain his position very long. In this study, we reviewed some existing approaches for planning, evaluation, and acquisition of computer hardware. Then, real experiences from Taechang Steel Co., Ltd. located in Taegu, which is one of the largest Coil Service Centers in Korea, are discussed. The major purposes of the study are : (1) to discuss the tradeoffs of existing approaches on hardware evaluation and acquisition, (2) to provide a real experience of a company to facilitate the application of theoretical concepts to the real environment.