Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
according to its Web site. Consider what it must be like to be
the chief information officer (CIO) of a division of Johnson &
Johnson located in a developing country. On one hand, you are
affiliated with one of the most technologically-advanced cor-
porations in the world. On the other, you are working to
support operations in a poor and technologically-young envi-
ronment. Such is the task of Sadiq Rowther, regional IT direc-
tor for Johnson & Johnson ASEAN, Phillipines.
The Phillipines division of Johnson & Johnson is well
aware of the importance of information systems to a busi-
ness's success. Sadiq Rowther is involved in making all of the
company's key business decisions. While some business
executives still perceive an IS department as a back-office
operation that provides support functions, smart businesses,
like Johnson & Johnson are including the CIO in top-level
decisions.
CIO Sadiq Rowther participates in customer interfaces in
order to better understand the issues the company faces. He
believes that a CIO must think like a business owner. "The
value I bring to the leadership team is really how IT can seize
a business opportunity and bring about a solution that uses a
combination of both business and IT skills,” Rowther
explained in a Computerworld interview.
Johnson & Johnson Philippines utilizes information sys-
tems to automate its core functions including supply chain,
order processing, and finance. An enterprise resource plan-
ning (ERP) system from SAP ties together all the systems into
one cohesive system. Unfortunately, much of the corpora-
tion's IT budget is used in systems maintenance, and it is
difficult to find funding for innovative advances. Sadiq Rowther
implements new systems by tying them to organizational
goals. “Whatever we are doing in IT has to help grow the busi-
ness,” Rowther is quoted as saying. In fact, rather than calling
them information system or IT projects, Johnson & Johnson
calls them IT-enabled business projects.
An example of some IT-enabled business projects
includes the recently launched Neutrogena Philippines Web
site (
www.neutrogena.com.ph).
Rowther looks at the project
as a “direct-to-consumer approach for targeted marketing,”
and collaborated closely with the brand team to make sure
the site was effective. In another project, Rowther worked
closely with sales and marketing to streamline the ordering
process for Johnson & Johnson distributors. The resulting
system provided faster and more reliable order processing.
Rowther is currently working on a project to get smart phones
in the hands of the sales force and provide mobile software
tools to help Johnson & Johnson sales and service represen-
tatives be more effective.
Working on a shoestring budget, Rowther has to con-
stantly prioritize the company's information system projects
and decide which are financially feasible. He teaches his team
to continuously check for the “value-add to the business”
when considering information system expenditures. Each
project has to show a return on investment (ROI) in the near
term. “At the end of the day, it's all about aligning with the
priorities of the business and ensuring that it is not your
choice of projects to keep or throw but a decision jointly made
with the rest of the business,” concludes Rowther.
Discussion Questions
1.
Why have CIOs become important contributors to corpo-
rate strategies?
2.
How might a CIO with a larger budget have an advantage
over Sadiq Rowther at Johnson & Johnson Philippines?
Critical Thinking Questions
1.
If you were CIO at Johnson & Johnson Philippines, how
might you convince the corporation to invest in a project
you designed?
2.
Johnson & Johnson Philippines, like the country, is grow-
ing rapidly. What considerations should Rowther take into
account when planning the information system budget for
the next five years? What about considerations for current
investments in information systems?
SOURCES:
Rubio, Jenalyn, “Reinforcing IT,” Computerworld Philippines, July
4775&L=S&II=33 3&ID=S,333,BYB,BYB-13.
Johnson & Johnson Web site,
www.jnj.com/our_company/index.htm, a
ccessed December 26, 2007.
Neutrogena Philippines Web site,
www.neutrogena.com.ph,
accessed
December 26, 2007.
Questions for Web Case
See the Web site for this topic to read about the Whitmann
Price Consulting case for this chapter. The following ques-
tions concern this Web case.
Whitmann Price Consulting: Addressing the Needs of
the Organization
Discussion Questions
1.
Compare and contrast the benefits and shortcomings of
notebook PCs and handheld PCs in accessing information
on the road.
2.
If Josh and Sandra are able to provide a solution that
meets all of the requirements, how might it impact the
effectiveness and efficiency of Whitmann Price?
3.
Why is it important for Josh and Sandra to build a list of
requirements through interviews with stakeholders?
Critical Thinking Questions
1.
The six business units of Whitmann Price have some
needs for this new system in common and others that are
unique. Do you think it will be possible to satisfy all of them
with one solution? What are the possibilities for customiz-
ing a solution that meets all the requirements?
2.
Why might Whitmann Price prefer one common device for
all business units rather than unique devices for each
unit?
