Introduction

Era before the invention of the transistor, electronic equipments like computers were highly expensive and they were used only for experimental and military purposes by governmental organizations and universities. Even after the invention of the transistor, computers were considerably high expensive, complex and less reliable. Only used by huge private and government organizations for complex scientific activities. But with the invention of the IC and then the microprocessor, computers were becoming less expensive, simple, high reliable and highly powerful. Today, the era of information technology is a period where we cannot describe the world without mentioning the computers. Computers are the gateway for IT(Information Technology) and IS(Information system). As a result of increasing the usability of computers or the basement of Information Technology, each and every field is been developing by giving a main role for information technology. Today IT is every where regardless of any restriction because IT has the capability of creating a competitive advantage in any field on the earth. Business, as an opportunity oriented field, it is obvious the reason for its high attraction for Information Technology and its applications. Each and every part of a business has a high potential to be supported by the Information Technology. As some examples Finance, Marketing, HR, R&D etc are all becoming less effective without IT. Starting from few decades there is a new functional unit in organizational hierarchy called IT division. Organizational executives are very much concerning regarding the effective usage of IT with their business. Strategy makers of organizational corporate level are becoming more careful about their IT related strategies. Why we need strategies for IT and IS ? Why organizational strategy makers very much bother on creating strategies for IT and IS ?

Why we need strategies for IT and IS ?

Strategy is an action plan designed to ensure that organization will invest the resources like money, time and effort properly for an activity according to the demand. When we consider strategies relate with IT and IS, strategy makers of organizations have to decide how much they should invest on IT and IS and in which way. By creating strategies, following questions should be answered. Which value is generated by the information for the achievement of strategic and operational does this have objectives ? How to make sure that information management generates the expected outcome ? How to maximize the value of the outcome ? How to proceed with the obtained results ? What information management initiatives are needed ? Which has to be done first and which one afterwards ? Which implications does this have in the architecture and infrastructure, in data, in processes, roles and management ? How to solve this ? How is it implemented and how are all the above points governed ?

With the advancement of the Information Technology above questions are becoming more complex and unclear the answers. Business environment which is being affected by this novel conditions emerge the need of strategies for IT and IS more and more.

Eight reasons to create strategies for IT and IS

AIIM which is the global community of information professionals (www.aiim.org) defines 8 reasons which emerges the need of strategies for IT and IS for an organization. A tidal wave of information :With the advancement of information technology raw data are processed and output new information in millions of gigabyte each and every millisecond in the world. As an example by 2011, the digital universe was 10X as big as it was in 2006. With this giant load of information many organizations are confused and unable to manage them effectively. Some organizations still have not accessed to valuable information that are critical to them even though they are existing in cyberspace. Some organizations are wasting lots of money and time by dealing with unwanted or less reliable information. Ubiquitous computing :Ubiquitous computing or one person computing anywhere, any time with many computers has introduced a more active role for the information management. As a result of ubiquitous computing information can be generated at the instance of when raw data are generated. Those information are more live and reliable. Ubiquitous computing also provides the ability to access to large amount of information from any where at any time. Those qualities have the ability to create new business opportunities but only through strong strategies. Not only the opportunities but lot more data security threats have been arisen through ubiquitous computing. Social Everything :Visiting social sites is the 4th most popular online activity.- Nielsen, Global Faces & Networked Places. Above statement emphasizes that how important the electronic social network for the business. When we consider a particular organization not only the customers but also employees are with the electronic social networks. People share their ideas and opinions with the electronic community which has combined the whole world population into one cyberspace. Electronic social networks has created lot more opportunities for the businesses to be more closer to their customers and widening their market space. On the other hand electronic social networks can destroy an organization's market not only locally but also globally. Collaboration without governance is a disaster :With the advancement of Information Technology, a new threat has been arisen for the business organizations. It is called the less governance over the organizational related contents. Even the sensitive information for an organization can be released to cyberspace which would be the end of the particular organization in the business world. Strategy planning over the governance of organizational contents is a must in the current advanced IT enabled business environment. The era of simplicity :Not like the few decades ago this is the era of simplicity. Information management systems are becoming more simpler. Simplicity increases the efficiency and effectiveness of those systems. More simplicity means the more competitive business advantages through the information management.

The tree-hugger's time has come :Papers, pens or pencils are belonging to an expired business era. All of them are replaced by electronic alternatives. Digital words can cut down the cost related to stationeries, creating environmental opportunities, increase process effectiveness, reduce real estate cost, improve morale, reduce off-site storage etc. To achieve those opportunities organizations should reduce the amount of paper in progress and keep digital what starts digital. Manual systems are becoming expired :Automated systems' efficiency and effectiveness compared to a manual systems is many times higher. When compare with the current era, further more usage of manual system is a grand resource wastage for an organization. Inside a business world where all the businesses are running behalf of grabbing the opportunities in the market, manual system holders will be always with the last few organizations inside the business world. Automation is becoming a fundamental item of an organization. Information management risks are rising :Information management is always a risk for organizations. Four requirements should be fulfilled to keep the compliance of information management. Those are legal requirements, industry standards, organizational policies and guidelines and more. By failing to meet above requirements eight main categories of risks have arisen. Those are non-capturing of required information, Loss of gathered information, Malice, Attribution, Unauthorized access, Unavailability, Find-ability, Inaccessibility.

General reasons to create strategies for IT and IS

Implementation of an information system is much more expensive :Information systems are compose of six main components as Software, Hardware, Data, People, Telecommunication, Procedures. Generally Software are the most expensive part of an Information system. Data also are very expensive item for an organization. When we consider the people, expertise professionals are needed to handle an information system other than the general users. Expertise professionals demand huge salaries for their service. Since an Information System is implemented base on huge investment it should focused to the organizational goal if not the investment can be a total failure. Implementation of an information system requires more time :System implementations take long time to be completed its life cycle. If the whole project is not planned strategically, at the end of the system implementation it may be outdated. Information system changes the organization culture :Information system is something that is going to embed with each and every activity of an organization. So, it affects the working style of the employees, environment of the work place etc. Organizational cultural change will bedazzle the employees. Strategic plans are needed to make the environment familiar with the new information system. Information systems are supposed to be fail :Information system is composed of software and hardware which can be failed due to human and technical reasons. In such a case there should be a strategical way to tolerate the situation and overcome the system failure quick as possible. Information systems can either in-source or outsource :An organization can implement the software, hardware structures, databases, procedures, recruit IT specialist by themselves or outsource all of those components or some of them. That kind of decisions should be created base on the organizational goals and align with all the other decisions. So, in-source or outsource decision should get strategical point of view. Technology is being improved rapidly :Technology related with information systems are being improved rapidly. Organizations should be identify the most optimal level of technology that they can maintain according to their ability.

Problems in organizations when no strategies

As a result of above characteristics in the Business related IT, it is becoming more complex to identify how we should apply Information Technology in an economically optimal manner. As an example, organizations are implementing information systems by investing billions of money which is more complex than they want. It is an economical wastage because they have spent lot of money for an unusable stuffs. On the other hand some organizations are implementing systems but not considering next 2 or 5 years of the business. It means within few months they need again to modify their system by investing more money. Some organizations are relucting to absorb new technology even though they can obtain competitive advantages from them. In some cases organizations are willing to absorb the new technology but not not considering the company culture, employee skills etc. that action will definitely be a failure. With the new trends in Electronic Social Networking, organizations can be more close to their customers than all the other promotion channels for a less cost but some organizations have not still identified the opportunity. When we consider the threats, anyone can spread false gossips to diminish the good will of an organization. Most of organizations have not establish legal agreements with Social Networking sites regarding the actions that can be get in an such a situation. Some organizations are not attentive regarding their data security and rising data security threats. Hackers are grabbing, modifying and destroying valuable organizational data and create great economical losses for an organization. With the development of Information Technology employees can access to any kind of electronic resource in the internet regardless of their relevancy for the job as an example most of times employees are logging to FaceBook in the office time using the organizational resources. Some organizations are still not concerning how they should react technically against the misuse of their resources. In some organizations there is no any strategical implementations regarding introducing an Information System to the organization. Employees of those organizations feel stress after the sudden change of their working culture. Employee performance may be reduced into a critical point. But successful organizations have strategies which explains how should the organization react for the changing working culture with the introduction of the new information system. They may introduce training programs, instructors, etc. Some organizations are not far-sighted regarding the information systems because they have not particular strategies behalf of it. As an example a bank may implement an information system which suits for 4000 customers and also it takes 3 years to complete the whole system. But after three years number of customers are increased to 6000 and system is not capable on it. If the system is implemented base on a clear strategy, system will be compatible for another few years even after the completion of the system.

IS/ IT Strategy Benefits

By implementing strategies for Information Technology and Information systems, organizations can achieve following major benefits. Ensure alignment with the strategy of the business :Each and every business organization has strategies to achieve the goal of the particular business. As a main component of an organization, every action related to Information Technology should support the process of achieving the main goal of the organization. Any IT related activity within the organization but not support for the final goal will not be usable for the organization. Establish and determine priorities for information management value initiatives for the business :By establishing the strategies, organizations can determine how they can add value to the organization by involving with IT. Keep in mind the best information management practices :Information Management effectiveness can only be achieved through the best practices of the field. These best practices are varying according to the internal and external environment factors of a business. By implementing IT related strategies only, managers can understand what should be their Information management best practices. Have a growth path for the Information Management platform in an organized manner and detecting synergies between the different initiatives :Information Technology is a valuable input for an organization to add value to their customers. It can provide competitive advantage to overcome challenges from the business world. Information management should be grown in an organized manner to obtain best return of it. Most of times Information Management and several other approaches can be combined and obtain high benefits from them. Leverage and exploit properly the investments already made in technology :Organizations usually invest much more money in Information Technology. When managers become with strategies, it is possible to see much more potential in invest in technology since it has the capability of providing maximum benefits base on the size of the investment. Have an action plan that recognizes the cause-effect relationships, and seniority between initiatives of business requirements and usage profiles, and their availability, technological architecture and infrastructure, and governance model of Information Management.

Conclusion
Every happening which is caused by living beings is a result of information interchange. Living beings are eating, fighting, sleeping, breathing etc. as results of some kinds of information interchanges. Information interchange is further more obvious in human activities. To increase the effectiveness of human activities human beings has invented the information technology. Business is an activity which has a long history relate with the man kind. Information Interchange is very much obvious in business activities. With the invention of the information technology people understood its potential in increasing the effectiveness of business activities. In present business without information technology is a tragedy. Information Technology is a key point in creating competitive advantage which can overcome the competitors in the business environment. With the mercurial development of the technology, variability of the information technology also increased. Not only the opportunities but also threats are being developed in each and every second. With this contextual variability business organizations are required to maintain their Information Technological activities with proper strategies. Application of IT or IS in organization without strategical way means huge losses than the profits. But strategical use of information technology can be considered as the most powerful force in pushing a particular business into the success.

References
1. Intellego.com.mx. 2010. Information Management Strategy | Intellego. [online] Available at: http://www.intellego.com.mx/en/information-management-strategy-0 [Accessed: 16 Jun 2013]. 2. Slideshare.net. n.d.. 8 reasons you need a strategy for managing information...before it'... . [online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/jmancini77/8-reasons-you-need-a-strategyfor-managing-informationbefore-its-too-late [Accessed: 16 Jun 2013]. 3. Slideshare.net. n.d.. 8 Reasons You Need a Strategy for Managing Information...Before it'... . [online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/norwiz/8-reasons-you-need-a-strategy-formanaging-informationbefore-its-too-late-4422495 [Accessed: 16 Jun 2013].

Why We Need Strategies for IS and IT

An Individual Assignment By S.M.U.C Seneviratne (UWU/IIT/10/0038)

Academic Year: 2012/2013 Semester II June 2013

Course : Business Strategy (IIT 351-2) Lecturer : Mr. D.N.N. Rohan

Faculty Of Science And Technology, Uva Wellassa University, Sri Lanka.