Alcan case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alcan - Case Study Example Moreover, the information integrators try to compete through product or service differentiation rather than cost minimization and business model optimization. Robert Ouelette, the newly appointed Corporate IT Vice President, identified that the Alcan had invested a total amount of $295 million in IT services annually. This huge amount points that the company specifically gives great emphasis on IT projects and IT innovation. Robert also says that there were three major SAP implementation projects representing a combined investment of $500 million in various sectors throughout the organization when he joined the Alcan. These facts indicate that the organization has not taken any initiative to trim down IT costs and thereby to compete on prices. However, the firm strives to obtain information necessary to improve operational efficiency. To illustrate, the company currently works on more than 1000 information systems. The company’s 80% of â€Å"total annual IT budget was spent o n outside services from consulting and outsourcing firms, as well as on equipment and software† (Dube, Bernier, and Roy). 2. The five decision areas of the Alcan are financial applications, architecture, information system solutions, infrastructure planning, and infrastructure shared services. From a thorough analysis, it seems that the organization mainly practices a decentralized IT governance model in these five key decision areas although it deploys multiple governance approaches. The case study clearly indicates that all the 14 resources of the groups responsible for the improvement and promotion of corporate applications were disparate with no centralized management control. Robert states that this group did not show any form of coordinated leadership for carrying out financial applications effectively and there were no well structured common architecture for those applications. In addition, the

Management skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management skills - Essay Example As evaluated, the areas of greatest strengths are in: developing self-awareness; communicating supportively; motivating others; managing conflict (especially in the areas of responding and mediating); as well as in building effective teams, teamwork; and leading positive change. The only identified areas where improvements are needed are in the areas of managing stress (eliminating stressors and developing resiliency); in rational problem solving; and in delegating. The score given by one’s associates generated 400 which likewise categorizes me also under the second quartile. This confirms my initial reaction that I was actually viewed by colleagues and associates to have basically the same management skills as I personally perceived. The small variance could be rationalized from one’s greater understanding of personal skills; as opposed to the understanding of others. Upon comparison, associates provided marginally lesser scores in the areas of stress management and leading teams. Further, some questions regarding the ability to motivate others generated variance in terms of identifying personal ability to address other people’s needs and drives. The marginal variance was noted in the area of stress management: I rated myself as score of 28 as opposed to associate’s rating of 23. It could be explained that the variance was due to one’s personal perception that managing stress was differently viewed by others. When faced with stressful or time pressured situations, I tend to give the best possible way of coping and adjusting to the situations. However, those who know me well acknowledge that although I fair well and have manifested more than above average in addressing and managing stressful scenarios, I believe I still am the one who would determine the accuracy in assessing coping with stressful or time pressured situations. In the area of leading