IT Strategic Plan for IBM

Introduction

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a United States-based global technology organization. The organization has its headquarters in Armonk, New York. In this instance, the business has businesses in over 150 nations globally. It is important to remember that the firm opened for business in 1911 under the name Computing-Tabulating and Recording Company (CTR) before changing its name to IBM in 1924. Global business services (GBS), technology and cloud platforms, cognitive solutions, and global financial systems are the five divisions that make up this industry. According to Cortada (2018), these elements comprise a competitive advantage in the technology industry structure. Additionally, IBM is focused on software and hardware for computers, advisory services, and cloud computing services in the coming years with sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) features (“IBM,” n.d.). Like any other company, IBM has to create strategic plans that enhance long-term viability, longevity, and efficiency. In essence, businesses such as IBM can establish the necessary funding for IT infrastructure and develop novel items to meet customers’ needs. Thus, this essay offers an extensive examination of IBM’s IT strategic plan from a wider standpoint.

Mission/ Vision of IBM

Since the company’s launch in 1911, IBM’s mission and vision have stayed unaltered. However, given advances in technology, the mission for the IT strategic plan, in this case, entails.

• Adapt to new technologies and enterprises that have the potential to stimulate business expansion.
• Earn a competitive advantage over rival companies.
• Improve customer satisfaction

SWOT analysis

As noted by Roy (n.d.), an IT strategic plan must incorporate a SWOT assessment to quickly determine internal and external variables that impact the IT’s capability to bring value to the achievement of the business. One component of an IT strategic plan is a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, which looks at how far the IT department is from where it needs to be to reach the company’s goals. Typically, the IT department of a company facilitates identifying obstacles and providing the required IT resources for the previously mentioned divide. As suggested in the previous context, IBM constitutes one of the world’s biggest and strongest technology companies. Therefore, a SWOT analysis aids in scrutinizing the business’s assets, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats from a broader point of view (Erol et al., 2023).

Strengths

IBM’s reputation and brand identification are among its most valuable assets (Mengxi, 2021). IBM has been considered a technological enterprise champion for many years. Additionally, the name “IBM” is now synonymous with professionalism and creativity. The company additionally invested much in R&D, which is essential to remember. This has resulted in creating and actualizing an array of groundbreaking innovations and solutions. Thus, it is important to acknowledge that the business’s image and recognition is a strength that motivates it to invest in other IT initiatives worldwide. An extensive and global clientele is an additional property in this case. The business has an advantage over rivals in the sector due to its global and vast customer base. With an extensive clientele, the business can expand into other markets and boost customer satisfaction.

Weakness

Notably, IBM’s dependence on conventional goods and services constitutes a few of its weaknesses. Despite its attempts to adjust and embrace novel technologies, the business keeps making income from its conventional hardware and software offerings (Binns, 2022). This vulnerability is because many of these conventional technologies are obsolete, affecting the company’s general IT performance. In this case, the company’s comparatively sluggish implementation of cloud computing is another region for improvement. In essence, IBM has been implementing the cloud computing system more slowly than other businesses, such as Microsoft and Amazon, which embraced it more rapidly upon its worldwide introduction. This deficiency has caused IBM to fall behind rivals like Microsoft and Amazon. Because of this, the assertion mentioned will continue to be a deficiency in the IT strategic plan moving forwards.

Opportunities

Arguably, IBM is in an advantageous position to grow and prosper because of various opportunities. The opportunities in this setting are centered in the cloud computing arena, especially for developing new machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions (Petiwala et al., 2021). Especially since IBM recently purchased Red Hat. When it pertains to open-source software, Red Hat is a market leader. IBM’s purchase of Red Hat will bolster its standing in the rapidly expanding hybrid cloud industry. Due to its extensive clientele, IBM has the opportunity to break into new markets, especially in China and India.

Threats

IBM’s greatest obstacle is rivalry from rival companies in the same sector. Competition in information technology is intense as multiple companies, such as Amazon and Microsoft, offer services comparable to IBM’s (Mengxi, 2021). Furthermore, they ought to understand that rivalry has been heating up. This is caused by an influx of successful innovators in the technology industry. Traditional competitors like IBM have been compelled to react by stepping up their attempts in new markets, such as solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing. The other threat here is the cyber security threat. The business’s brand and bottom line are susceptible to cybersecurity and data breach problems (Perera et al., 2022).

IBM has multiple benefits and opportunities in its information technology (IT) strategic plan. However, there are also dangers and challenges involved. In this regard, the business’s long-term success will heavily rely on its ability to adapt to changing circumstances in the market and embrace new technologies. Thus, to be relevant in the constantly changing technology industry, IBM must keep expanding its offerings in artificial intelligence and cloud computing, devote resources to research and development, and maintain its worldwide reputation for quality and innovation.

The Technology Investments Needed for IT Infrastructure.

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is, in other businesses, the world’s leader in technology. IBM, therefore, needs to make investments in its IT infrastructure to support its company’s operations. Furthermore, IBM has an international IT infrastructure that is highly complex. Thus, it must regularly upkeep and improve its IT infrastructure. This is to guarantee that it stays relevant and serves the ever-changing demands of its clientele. Notably, IBM’s IT infrastructure needs hardware as its main investment. IBM manufactures and designs, undoubtedly, an array of hardware items. These products contain devices for storage, servers, and mainframe systems. Globally, organizations and governments use the stated hardware to facilitate their everyday activities. Consequently, hardware investments are essential to IBM’s success, particularly in keeping and growing its clientele. The development of software is an important additional investment for IBM’s information technology (IT) system. The Watson artificial intelligence system, in particular, has assisted IBM in achieving an excellent track record among software builders (Bini, 2018). Furthermore, it is renowned for its cloud computing services and company apps. IBM’s capability to stay on top of rivals such as Amazon and Microsoft is made possible by its considerable investment in software development. Furthermore, applications and cloud computing empower the company to meet customers’ demands. Considering the IT strategic plan in this context, IBM must keep investing in software development to guarantee that its items remain useful and relevant to consumers and high-end clients.

Spending on network infrastructure is another essential technology investment for IT infrastructure. Following Tate et al. (2018), IBM has global data centers requiring trustworthy, fast Internet access. It is also noteworthy that the business offers its customers networking services. VPNs and controlled network services belong to these network services. Therefore, the business must invest significantly in the network’s foundation to offer effective and efficient services. This needs robust Wi-Fi networks that guarantee customer safety, speed, and dependability (Tate et al., 2018). Furthermore, this will benefit the company’s growth, especially regarding online networking. Additionally, IBM must invest in cybersecurity to protect its computer systems and client information. Since the business is a leader in the field of technology, it is susceptible to cyber-attacks and threats and is an ideal target (Tao et al., 2019). As a result, IBM has to constantly invest money into technological advances and safeguards to safeguard its IT infrastructure and consumers’ data. This requires money on various innovative security infrastructures and structures, including AI-powered detection and response to threats and continuous staff training and growth.

The Reasons (justifications) for the IT as mentioned above Investments.

Notably, IBM has to invest extensively in its IT infrastructure for various reasons. In this instance, the first reason is that business activities heavily depend on technology, and the IT infrastructure is at the heart of these activities (“IBM,” n.d.). With an adequate or absent IT infrastructure that is reliable and robust, the company can efficiently provide its goods and services to consumers. From a wider perspective, the clarification above matches the justification for the IT expenditures described previously. The second rationale is that establishing an IT infrastructure allows IBM to stay competitive or acquire an advantage over related companies. As suggested in the previous context, the technological industry keeps growing. In this scenario, IBM must invest in innovative software, hardware, and network technology to stay competitive. By purchasing innovative software, hardware, and network technologies, the business can offer innovative solutions in technology to its clients. This will enable the business to remain a technology industry leader.

The rising need to satisfy client demands is likely the third incentive for the business to invest in IT infrastructure. There are no disputing governments and corporations’ expanding dependence on technology for everyday tasks. Businesses and governments have to employ cutting-edge technology techniques that can manage more data, process it more quickly, and keep it secure. Spending on IT infrastructure allows IBM to fulfill the requirements of companies and governments by providing technological alternatives to the previously mentioned clients. Moreover, expenditures in cybersecurity are crucial if they are likely to protect IBM’s systems and customer information (Tao et al., 2019). In recent years, internet attacks have grown as hackers obtain customer data unlawfully. Examples of online crime and scams have also risen in recent years. To avoid deceit and cyberattacks, IBM must invest in sophisticated safety technologies. Refusal to do so always leads to considerable financial and damage to reputation. Furthermore, it can result in legal obligations and increased dispute resolution. Consequently, IBM has to make investments in cybersecurity to protect customer data.

How IT can enable or drive the IBM business

IBM’s (International et al. Corporation) business depends significantly on Information Technology (IT) to function and progress. In this way, IT allows IBM to create and create new products and services that perfectly address customer requirements. IBM utilizes IT in various methods, one of which is data analytics. Consider IBM’s Watson AI platform as just one of the many data-analysis tools the business has developed. These devices drive IBM’s business forwards by enabling the business’s efficient evaluation of enormous amounts of data (Bini, 2018). Due to this, the company can unearth patterns and insights that would be extremely laborious or impossible to identify with manual analysis alone.

Notably, IT can improve or encourage the company’s operations by enabling the company to offer innovative technological solutions in fields like blockchain and cloud computing. IBM’s blockchain systems provide users with secure and open transfer of information and assets (Sunny et al., 2020). As a consequence, businesses keep getting more productive and free of risk. On the other hand, IBM’s cloud computing services offer users flexible and scalable IT assets. The result is a more cost-effective and efficient company operation. In addition, IT is the vitality of IBM, guaranteeing the company’s longevity. As a technology business, IBM must always be at the forefront of technological advances. This guarantees the company’s ongoing relevance in the technology field. It helps IBM develop new, technologically sophisticated, creative goods and services that continually improve current regulations. Furthermore, the previous description facilitates IBM in distinguishing itself from comparable rivals in the technology sector, thereby safeguarding its position as a leader in the field of technology. It could be claimed that IT allows IBM to run effectively and affordably in a manner that implies that the business’s computer systems and structure are mechanized (“IBM,” n.d.). This has improved the company’s productivity and reduced expenses by simplifying its operations. Ultimately, this permits the business to provide customers with high-quality solutions and services available on the market.

What IT innovations are planned?

In this case, the planned IT advances and innovations consist of the invention of quantum computing technological advances, improvements in cloud computing abilities, and the implementation of blockchain technology. When creating quantum computing systems, the business has traveled quite a way (MacQuarrie et al., 2020). Such machines can carry out computations and calculations that would require a lot longer than a standard computer. IBM’s addition of quantum computing into its range of services suggests the business’s cloud infrastructure will shortly supply customers with access to the IBM Quantum Experience. Another planned advancement in IT aims to improve the characteristics of cloud computing. Over the past few years, IBM has dedicated many resources to furthering its cloud computing abilities. This is why the business offers many forms of cloud computing, such as software as a service (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS). IBM’s recent purchase of Red Hat provided them with an important head-up in cloud services, enabling it to steadily broaden its services in this field. This will boost the business’s capacity to use hybrid clouds. Notably, blockchain technology is a prime instance of intentional IT development; it is a system of distributed ledgers that allows for open and secure money transfers. “(Sunny et al., 2020). IBM’s Blockchain Platform will allow the rapid development and distribution of blockchain-based applications for businesses and other groups.

What are the strategic IT projects?

The business’s main strategic IT responsibility is IBM’s hybrid cloud strategy creation. The company in question has been spending money on infrastructure for cloud computing in recent years, including the 2019 purchase of Red Hat (Tavakoli et al., 2017). In simple terms, the business gives hybrid cloud solutions that make it simple for companies to connect their physical infrastructure with services offered by the cloud. This approach was created to satisfy retailers and customers of exceptional quality. Public and personal cloud services, as well as on-premises infrastructure, are frequently needed to satisfy the requirements of these consumers and high-end customers. The other strategic IT initiative is the development of IBM’s artificially intelligent (AI) and machine learning (ML) abilities. IBM has made major investments in AI and ML, particularly with the Watson AI platform. One of the most sophisticated and extensive AI platforms is IBM’s Watson. IBM sees the creation of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) as strategic IT importance because of the possible advantages they might have for companies and governments worldwide. IBM’s other strategic IT strategy is centered on cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is an essential requirement for organizations and organizations globally. The mentioned business created the IBM Security Intelligence Platform to offer enhanced detection and response to threats abilities. More generally, this shields companies and governments from possible cyber-attacks and threats.

Why Strategic IT projects have Strategic Importance

IBM must utilize a hybrid cloud tackle to offer clients an array of cloud service solutions that can be customized to their particular needs. Using this approach, IBM can assist businesses that need a mix of public and private cloud services in addition to physical infrastructure. In contrast with competitors like Amazon and Microsoft, the business may stand out by giving consumers an extensive selection of customized alternatives. On the other hand, IBM has made the creation of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) one of its top IT priorities since these skills will aid businesses in effectively handling and analyzing enormous amounts of data. Due to this, businesses can make decisions with greater certainty. Consequently, integrating AI and ML allows the business to offer creative answers to complex issues facing the company (Marr, 2019). Furthermore, this expenditure gives IBM an unfair advantage in the technology industry. Notably, organizations and governments across the globe necessitate cybersecurity. Thus, the creation of safeguards protects customers of IBM from cyber attacks and risks, which are growing more frequent and difficult to identify (Tao et al., 2019). With its security capabilities, IBM will be able to satisfy the growing need for cybersecurity solutions, particularly in the context of recent prominent cyber attacks.

Cost and budget for each project

Notably, as a publicly traded company, IBM is obligated to release annual financial reports to the public. These reports outline expenses for strategic IT projects in an easy-to-understand way. Regardless of this, it is crucial to keep in mind that the budget for every undertaking is subject to shifting as the project grows and as novel needs are identified. The strategic IT initiatives stated in the context previously, such as the widening of the hybrid cloud strategy and the creation of AI and machine learning abilities, will likely demand more money. In this case, an important amount of money is also needed for cybersecurity.

The short-term goals and the long-term goals and Timelines

Considering industry trends and the performance of the business, IBM’s short-term purpose is expected to be to create and enhance its existing goods and services while growing into fresh markets. For example, the business may exist to broaden its cloud products and raise its market share in the extremely competitive cloud computing business internationally. Furthermore, IBM’s immediate goals include creating new machine learning and artificial intelligence applications to provide creative solutions for companies and governments. IBM’s future goals will likely center on keeping its technology industry leadership status. Constant expenditures in innovative technologies such as quantum computing, blockchain, and cybersecurity will contribute. This can additionally be completed by broadening its reach into new developing markets, boosting client satisfaction, and extending the company’s global reach from a wider point of view. Regarding schedules, it is vital to know that short-term objectives will have a duration of three years, while long-term objectives will entail a timeframe of six years. In addition, because of the size and scope of the initiatives outlined in the previous context, the mentioned timeframes may be prone to variation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper offers a comprehensive examination of IBM’s IT strategic plan from a wider point of view. The article starts by addressing the mission and vision of the company. The context then covers the study of IBM’s SWOT (strengths, vulnerabilities, opportunities, and threats). The paper emphasizes and builds upon the technological investments needed to build IT infrastructure. The setting additionally offers the justifications for picking the outlined investments in technology for IT infrastructure. Particularly the paper additionally addresses how IT may power IBM’s operations and its planned innovations for the business. The paper examines strategic IT projects and their tactical importance in more detail. From a broader point of view, the paper stresses the cost and budget for each commitment. The previous context ends by delineating IBM’s long- and short-term goals with its strategic IT projects, along with their relative timelines.

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