"It Doesn't Matter" Reflection
Reflection of “IT Doesn’t Matter” article within Harvard Business Review May 2003 issue
Kelley Davies
Within the Harvard Business Review’s May 2003 issue, Nicholas Carr wrote an article, “IT Doesn’t Matter” depicting Information Technology’s immense growth and importance for business and economics, but yet concludes IT’s decline and fall in business strategic positioning. In class discussion on this article described this author’s point of view as one-sided that Information Technology’s ubiquity eliminates its competitive edge, creating IT as a costly commodity for businesses. Class discussion was divided as pro or against Nicholas Carr’s point of view, binging up examples within the article, as well as personal first-hand experience for evidence. My personal reflection on “IT Doesn’t Matter”, is in agreement with the author’s stance that Information Technology has lived it’s life cycle of growth and decline, and now positioned as a cost commodity, rather than an asset, for conducting business. The article detailed many break-through technologies of the past, describing the evolvement from beginning as a strategic value, to a buildout phase, and finally as a commoditized product. Some examples that were given by the author and discussed in class were how rail transportation is an infrastructure technology that holds more value shared, by interconnecting and broadening businesses and the whole economy. I feel the examples the author provides, reveal IT as an infrastructure technology that is better shared and standardized for cost effective and economic benefits. Students discussed how the buildout and ubiquity of Information Technology is positive due to its availability and standardization being cost effective for most companies. However, the standardization and buildout of IT diminishes its strategic positioning value. Although there are many cost benefits for standardization, one student pointed out this can stifle flexibility for the company’s
Kelley Davies
Within the Harvard Business Review’s May 2003 issue, Nicholas Carr wrote an article, “IT Doesn’t Matter” depicting Information Technology’s immense growth and importance for business and economics, but yet concludes IT’s decline and fall in business strategic positioning. In class discussion on this article described this author’s point of view as one-sided that Information Technology’s ubiquity eliminates its competitive edge, creating IT as a costly commodity for businesses. Class discussion was divided as pro or against Nicholas Carr’s point of view, binging up examples within the article, as well as personal first-hand experience for evidence. My personal reflection on “IT Doesn’t Matter”, is in agreement with the author’s stance that Information Technology has lived it’s life cycle of growth and decline, and now positioned as a cost commodity, rather than an asset, for conducting business. The article detailed many break-through technologies of the past, describing the evolvement from beginning as a strategic value, to a buildout phase, and finally as a commoditized product. Some examples that were given by the author and discussed in class were how rail transportation is an infrastructure technology that holds more value shared, by interconnecting and broadening businesses and the whole economy. I feel the examples the author provides, reveal IT as an infrastructure technology that is better shared and standardized for cost effective and economic benefits. Students discussed how the buildout and ubiquity of Information Technology is positive due to its availability and standardization being cost effective for most companies. However, the standardization and buildout of IT diminishes its strategic positioning value. Although there are many cost benefits for standardization, one student pointed out this can stifle flexibility for the company’s