The Role of the IS Function, Case Study Example

What should be, in your opinion, the role of the IS function at Outrigger Hotels and Resorts?

A well designed information systems function is necessary at Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. Since the chain is constantly expanding and has a variety of hotel offerings including luxury resorts, a budget hotel counterpart, and condominiums, all of these businesses should be able to contact one another instantaneously in order to best serve the needs of the customers. For example, if a budget hotel customer is interesting in staying in a condominium next time they visit, Outrigger will not have to refer them to another company like they had to in the past; instead, they will be able to contact the condominium managers, check available dates, and even book the condominium if the customer wishers. The primary role of the information systems at Outrigger should be to ensure convenience of both the staff and customers; if the system is organized and functions properly, it will reduce the amount of work that needs to be done by the employees which will also increase the speed in which tasks get done.

Can you articulate both the IS vision and guidelines for the firm?

The IS vision for the firm is to achieve high levels of technology that will both increase the organization of the firm and allow for communication in its divisions across many different time zones and to allow the customer to have access to the same technology that they do at home. Nonetheless, the company has had difficulty in implementing advanced IT functions despite the want to do so due to the need of integration of their international properties. Since the company primarily uses Stellex for this purpose, it considered reinvesting the system because it had not been updated in three years; however, the IS team decided that the current system was adequate enough for their current needs. Nonetheless, the company is expanding and while a majority of employees are used to Stellex and are able to use it quickly, the IS system should be updated so that Outrigger could remain competitive in its market. Therefore, the guidelines for the firm should be that the current system can be kept if it is the quickest on the market; however, they will need to update the system if they realize that competitors are using better software.

Based on your proposed IS plan for Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, what strategic initiatives would you propose?

It is essential for all of the different locations of Outrigger Hotels to remain in communication and provide guests with the amenities they expect when staying at any of these locations. Therefore, it is important to update the Stellex system; although the current version that the company has is considered outdates, Stellex consistently makes new products to replace the old versions. Outrigger should therefore considering updating the old Stellex system with a newer product; since most of Outrigger’s current employees are used to the way that it works, this would be ideal because training the employees on this updated version will be necessary but not terribly difficult.