GLOBALIZATION PLAN

As companies grow and decide to compete internationally, they must formulate global information technology plans to manage their worldwide expansion. Many companies decide to outsource some of these IT projects overseas to gain competitive advantages. Lee and Mary's Gourmet Ice Cream is a business in the middle of planning for a major global expansion. (See the attachment "Five-Year IT Global Strategic Plan.") To facilitate this expansion, the company's IT systems will need to undergo a major upgrade.

You have been hired as the IT consultant by the CEO of Lee and Mary's Gourmet Ice Cream to recommend changes to the five-year IT globalization plan for the company. The CEO provided you with a version of the plan that focuses on the company expanding its business and technology into the international markets of Great Britain and Western Europe. Unfortunately, the organization's chief information officer (CIO) just left the company for personal reasons, which leaves the company with some decisions still to make in regard to its technology infrastructures, processes, and systems to support the expansion. You were told that there is $20,000,000 available to improve technology systems and processes to meet expanded business goals. You are being asked to adopt the role of the recently departed CIO and to recommend updates to the existing plan. Your task is to evaluate the current five-year plan, research technological solutions, work with existing stakeholders, and then recommend changes to the "Activities" section of five of the plan targets.

A.Summarize the current state ofeachof the following established technologies related to the targets in the company's IT globalization plan. Explain how the current weaknesses identified in the plan may affect the company's global performance.

data storage (see target 1)

unified communications system (mail, conferencing, and messaging) (see target 2)

enterprise resource planning (ERP) system (see target 5)

integrated point-of-sale (POS) system (see target 6)

customer resource management (CRM) system (see target 11)

*NOTE: The submission summarizes the current state of each of the given established technologies in the company's IT globalization plan. The submission explains how the current weaknesses identified in the plan may affect the company's global performance.

B. Recommend changes to the "Activities" section of the "Data Storage" target in the IT globalization plan, justifying how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

*NOTE: The submission recommends changes to the "Activities" section of the "Data Storage" target in the IT globalization plan. The submission justifies how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

C. Recommend changes to the "Activities" section of the "Unified Communications System" target in the IT globalization plan, justifying how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

*NOTE: The submission recommends changes to the "Activities" section of the "Unified Communications System" target in the IT globalization plan. The submission justifies how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

D. Recommend changes to the "Activities" section of the "ERP" target in the IT globalization plan, justifying how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

*NOTE: The submission recommends changes to the "Activities" section of the "ERP" target in the IT globalization plan. The submission justifies how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

E. Recommend changes to the "Activities" section of the "POS" target in the IT globalization plan, justifying how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

*NOTE: The submission recommends changes to the "Activities" section of the "POS" target in the IT globalization plan. The submission justifies how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

F. Recommend changes to the "Activities" section of the "CRM" target in the IT globalization plan, justifying how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

*NOTE: The submission recommends changes to the "Activities" section of the "CRM" target in the IT globalization plan. The submission justifies how the recommended changes will better meet stated company objectives and goals, as well as how these changes will improve company performance.

G. Justify how the recommended changes (in parts B - F) to the IT globalization plan align with the company's goals of addressing global technology trends, standards, best practices, and initiatives.

*NOTE: The submission justifies how the proposed updates of the IT globalization plan align with the company's goals of addressing how the updates align with global technology trends, standards, best practices, and initiatives.

H. Explain how the updated IT globalization plan addresses international market opportunities and the challenges of a global economy.

*NOTE: The submission explains how the updated IT globalization plan addresses international market opportunities and the challenges of a global economy.

G. Justify how the recommended changes (in parts B - F) to the IT globalization plan align with the company's goals of addressing global technology trends, standards, best practices, and initiatives.

*NOTE: The submission justifies how the proposed updates of the IT globalization plan align with the company's goals of addressing how the updates align with global technology trends, standards, best practices, and initiatives.

I. Explain what challenges and opportunities may result from the company implementing and maintaining its IT globalization plan.

*NOTE: The submission explains what challenges and opportunities may result from the company implementing and maintaining its IT globalization plan.