Relationship of Information Technology to Organizational Performance Research Paper

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Relationship of Information Technology to Organizational Performance

Enterprises have continually invested in information technologies (IT) to gain competitive advantages by improving their business processes, integrating and aggregating diverse databases, and then transforming the data into a competitive advantage. The paradox of how to invest in IT for an optimal return however has been elusive (Brynjolfsson, Hitt, 1998). Traditional measures of Return on investment (ROI), metrics and key performance Indicators (KPIs) have failed to scale from the operational sides of a business to the data- and knowledge-based processes and functions (Ko, Osei-bryson, 2008). Analysis of information technology investments and their contributions to a firm's financial performance illustrate that the selective use of IT to supplement strategies, not its en masse adoption, is a critical success factor (Osei-Bryson, Ko, 2004). Studies have shown that in a market duopoly characterized by slow to moderate growth, the automating of processes and strategies has the potential to deliver higher ROI compared fragmented industries (Quan, Hu, Hart, 2004).

Productivity, business profitability and consumer surplus all have implications on the ROI any enterprise attains from their IT investments (Hitt, Brynjolfsson, 1996). The healthcare industry is one where all three of these factors combine to create a measurable platform for determining the impact of IT technologies and firm performance (Thouin, Hoffman, Ford, 2008). These three factors of productivity, business profitability and consumer surplus form the foundation for knowledge-based innovations that transform data, customer and financial information into the competitive advantage of the business.

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In healthcare, this has occurred due to the well-defined and orchestrated processes used for managing the patient lifecycle process (Osei-Bryson, Ko, 2004). The stability and rigor with which the patient lifecycle process is managed provides these businesses with the necessary foundation to automate processes, increase compliance levels and transform their businesses. The transformation of businesses is not purely being accomplished through manually-based workflow or process management techniques however. The emergence of context and role-based knowledge continues to act as an accelerator to the process and strategy-based efforts of enterprises to become as competitive as possible using IT investment. The transition from measuring production efficiency purely on an output basis vs. value-add based on insight and intelligence began over a decade ago (Dewan, Min, 1997).

Knowledge, not pure efficiency, is the new competitive force and differentiator all enterprises, regardless of industry, seek. Investments in IT had solidified and created strong siloes of information in many companies, which led to internal efficiency yet a lack of agility and flexibility in responding to market conditions and customer needs. The growth of demand-driven supply networks (DDSN) and the re-orientation to IT systems away from being purely myopic and internally focused has shown potential to also deliver higher levels of ROI as well (Barrett, 2007). Studies indicate that just integrating data into a master system of record is not enough; there needs to be a focused series of business objectives, plans and strategies that serve to.....

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Latest APA Format (6th edition)

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"Relationship Of Information Technology To Organizational Performance" (2011, January 10) Retrieved May 18, 2024, from
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"Relationship Of Information Technology To Organizational Performance" 10 January 2011. Web.18 May. 2024. <
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Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

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"Relationship Of Information Technology To Organizational Performance", 10 January 2011, Accessed.18 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/relationship-information-technology-organizational-49421