Cisco Systems Essay -- essays research papers

Case Study The Internet and the New Information technology Infrastructure1.Describe the competitive business environment in which GM is operatingGeneral Motors, while they are the largest move maker, are currently outlet through a decline in sales. Their competition is extremely stiff. With competitors such as Ford, Chrysler, and other Japanese vehicles that have lower production costs and embroil better styling issues and quality in mind, this makes for a difficult struggle for GM.GM remains a far-flung vertically integrated corporationMakes 70% of their experience partsWhile GM makes their own parts, other companies, such as Daimer-Chrylser purchases their parts from other vendors with whom they can haggle over their prices. With such advances in the automobile industry, this brought about a race for companies surrounding GM to produce more vehicles quicker and allowed for faster sales. While some may say that GM yet builds quality cars, they are by no means keeping up with the competition in production areas.2.Describe the relationship between GMs organization and its information technology infrastructure. What management, organization, and technology factors influenced this relationship?GMs organization found that its system as a whole was falling in arrears in technology. Their design group could not relate with other sectors of the company, as each division of the company was on their own software system and hardware entropybase. No one particular system communicated with another. In the early 80s GM tried to integrate their system by using EDS (Electronic entropy Systems) and they were able to streamline their computers together. Their current CIO Ralph Szygenda has managed to bring the company to its feet once again by bringing in several new changes. Replaced many an(prenominal) systems with standardized software for all computers which in turn was networked to other systemsCreated programs that would correlate with one another and enabled data sharingConsolidated legacy systems and databasesManagement realized that without sharing the data and having a system that could run smoothly they would soon fall to their knees. When they began reali... ...e problem is quickly finding the car that the customer wants, which is a strategy better know as Locate-to-Order. To reach this goal, GM must create a regional inventory of the vehicle pool that allow for be shown on the Internet so that regardless of the vehicles location, potential buyers can find their vehicle. There is one flaw in the system that manufacturers and dealers must deal with in the business. They must realize that customers will require varying styles, colors and other options and they (the company) must be ready at the drop of a hat to have the product readied. The inventory must be stocked and ready to be sold.Internet technology could be the catalyst for GM to reconstruct its entire value chain, transforming itself into a customer-focused business that provides many different electronic services to consumers, as well as cars. Built-to-order has been around the auto industry for a long time, but only for very dearly-won cars, and it required a waiting period of two to three months before delivery. This system would greatly reduce finished vehicle inventory costs as well as generate other production cost savings, potentially saving GM $20 billion per year.