Task: Form a group of 4-5 students, choose a business organisation operating in Oman, do a research, compile a report, in which following points should be revealed:
Q1. Company profile: briefly describe history (2 paragraphs), company's main operations (2 paragraphs) and identify company's competitive advantages (2 paragraphs).
a. Choose any functional area of the company and investigate how such function is supported by IT/IS: what kind of IT/IS are used by the company to support particular function.
b. Identify how competitive advantage of the company is gained by the use of IT/IS.
c. Evaluate the role of IT/IS in the company by analysing the use of IT/IS in particular function and its reflection on company' performance.
Q2. As business development consultant for this company, evaluate the role of IS/IT within this business organization and recommend an appropriate managerial approach to boost the company performance? Discuss fully your group recommendation.
Q3. Elaborate on the process of determining IT/IS strategy for the business and propose methods by which IS/IT strategies may be implemented in the organization. Each student is required to discuss fully his/her proposed method(s).
Students should use different sources of information for the report: websites of companies, publications about the company in newspapers, magazines, specialised journals, if needed - conduct an interview with company's representatives. A minimum of 5 current relevant journal articles is required.
The assignment consists of 3 parts:
1. proposal submission, 100 marks to scale down to 10.
2. group report, 100 marks to scale down to 80.
3. reflection on self/ individual contribution, 100 marks to scale down to 10. The same mark for the proposal and group report will be awarded to all members of the group.
Evaluation of the individual reflection will be based on a report submitted by the student. In this report, student has to reflect on his own contribution and work within the group and elaborate on the learning outcomes of this group exercise.
Group report should disclose consolidated results of group work on the task.