Solving Management’s Disruption Dilemma— the Blended IT Strategy
Part 4 – Blended IT – No time to waste – Just Get It Done
In this final article, sponsored by Hewlett Packard Enterprise; The Economist Intelligence Unit & JGID proposes an alternative to an overnight, all-or-nothing approach: blended IT. This is a dual-speed approach that supports a period of coexistence between the old and the new systems—giving Management the time and resources to manage the dilemma of disruptive change.
Blended IT is not an argument for standing still, or for a permanent state of coexistence between two separate systems.
At the current pace of change, even the most cutting-edge digital systems become legacy technologies in a matter of months. Cultures may attempt to defy change. No temporary architecture should stop the pressure to accelerate the fast track of the digitally transformed systems. Using appropriate technology such as JGID via Cloud computing is the most cost effective and efficient technology that benefits Owners and Managers of service based companies. It enables successful businesses to act swiftly in response to customer demands and administration compliance.
A firm that adopts the dual approach of blended IT are protected from the weaknesses and complacency with its legacy technologies. Such old systems will only become an increasing drag on organisational agility and innovation. And as most Managers know, they are exceedingly high cost to maintain. The blended IT approach simply allows order, planning, and time to be part of a measured and constantly developing approach to customer and regulatory demands.
“Established companies must embrace new technology and simultaneously manage for the present and the future,” says Robert Siegel, co-instructor Stanford Graduate School of Business. “That means creating pockets of innovation and putting incentives in place to encourage the people involved in new initiatives and those focused on legacy activities to work together to transition from the old to the new.”
Eventually, many Owners and Managers will want to move their IT architectures to a unified, highly agile digital platform. For many that will mean migration to a cloud or hybrid cloud environment such as JGID. Blended IT is not a substitute for this digital end-game—it is just a measured, risk-managed, and practical route to getting there.