A structured approach to corporate technology strategy

A structured approach to acquiring and deploying advanced technology, which integrates business and technology actions, and shows how a number of conventional planning steps are used to generate and use a strategy based on future impacts.

Abstract

There is currently a resurgence in recognition of the vital role technology plays in corporate profitability. Unfortunately, interest in technology has been coupled with the difficult problem of the proliferation of technological options, many of which are unknown to the company at the time they become important. This means that much careful attention to acquiring and deploying advanced technology is needed. This paper describes a structured approach called ASSETS, which integrates business and technology actions. The process is based on a set of basic questions that must be addressed in seeking a well–grounded business and technology strategy. Answers to these questions follow a number of conventional planning steps with both the technological and business issues integrated through the use of a basic technology strategy. The paper describes these steps and shows how they are used to generate and use a strategy based on future impacts. Resource allocation, implementation and control considerations are included.