Information technology management

Information technology management or IT management is the discipline whereby all of the information technology resources of a firm are managed in accordance with its needs and priorities. Managing the responsibility within a company entails many of the basic management functions, like budgeting, staffing, change management, and organizing and controlling, along with other aspects that are unique to technology, like software design, network planning, tech support etc.<ref>McNurlin, Barbara; et al. (2009). Information Systems Management in Practice (8th ed.). Prentice Hall.</ref>

Purpose

The central aim of IT management is to generate value through the use of technology. To achieve this, business strategies and technology must be aligned.

IT Management is different from management information systems. The latter refers to management methods tied to the automation or support of human decision making.<ref name=obrien>O’Brien, J (1999). Management Information Systems – Managing Information Technology in the Internetworked Enterprise. Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-112373-3.</ref> IT Management refers to IT related management activities in organizations. MIS is focused mainly on the business aspect, with a strong input into the technology phase of the business/organization.

A primary focus of IT management is the value creation made possible by technology. This requires the alignment of technology and business strategies. While the value creation for an organization involves a network of relationships between internal and external environments, technology plays an important role in improving the overall value chain of an organization. However, this increase requires business and technology management to work as a creative, synergistic, and collaborative team instead of a purely mechanistic span of control.<ref>Bird, M. (2010). Modern Management Guide to Information Technology. Create Space.</ref>

Historically, one set of resources was dedicated to one particular computing technology, business application or line of business, and managed in a silo-like fashion.<ref>Talbot, Chris, “HP Adds to Converged Infrastructure Lineup,” ChannelInsider, June 7, 2011.</ref> These resources supported a single set of requirements and processes, and couldn't easily be optimized or reconfigured to support actual demand.<ref>"Gardner, Dana, "Converged Infrastructure Approach Paves Way for Improved Data Center Productivity, Private Clouds," February 9, 2010, IT Business Edge". Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2011.</ref> This led technology providers to build out and complement their product-centric infrastructure and management offerings with Converged Infrastructure environments that converge servers, storage, networking, security, management and facilities.<ref>Huff, Lisa, “The Battle for the Converged Data Center Network,” Data Center Knowledge, August 18, 2011.</ref><ref>"Harris, Derrick, "Can Open Converged Infrastructure Compete?" GigaOM, October 10, 2010". Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2011.</ref> The efficiencies of having this type of integrated and automated management environment allows enterprises to get their applications up and running faster, with simpler manageability and maintenance, and enables IT to adjust IT resources (such as servers, storage and networking) quicker to meet unpredictable business demand.<ref>Oestreich, Ken, "Converged Infrastructure," CTO Forum, November 15, 2010. Archived January 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine</ref><ref>"Golden, Bernard, "Cloud Computing: Two Kinds of Agility," CIO, July 16, 2010". Archived from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2011.</ref>

IT management disciplines

The below concepts are commonly listed or investigated under the broad term IT Management:<ref>28 Nov. 2008 [1]</ref> <ref>28 Nov. 2008 [2]</ref> <ref>McKeen, James D., and Smith, Heather A., Making IT Happen: Critical Issues in IT Management, Wiley Series in Information Systems, 2003</ref> <ref>CIO Wisdom: Best Practise from Silicon Valley's Leading IT Experts, Lane, D. (ed), Prentice Hall 2004</ref><ref>Veen, Annelies van der; Jan van Bon (2007). Foundations of ITIL V3. Van Haren Publishing. ISBN 978-90-8753-057-0.</ref>

• Business/IT alignment
• IT governance
• IT financial management
• IT service management
• Information Systems<ref name="Rasmussen">Meinke, Hannah (2020), "How to Become an IT Manager: What You Need to Succeed", Technology Blog, Rasmussen University.</ref>
• Information security<ref name="Rasmussen">Meinke, Hannah (2020), "How to Become an IT Manager: What You Need to Succeed", Technology Blog, Rasmussen University.</ref>
• Sourcing
• IT configuration management
• IT infrastructure<ref>Axelos (2021). Axelos ITIL 4 Foundation. Axelos.</ref><ref>Stationery Office, Claire Agutter (2012). ITIL Foundation Handbook. ISBN 9780113313495.</ref>

IT managers

IT managers have a lot in common with project managers but their main difference is one of focus: an IT manager is responsible and accountable for an ongoing program of IT services while the project manager's responsibility and accountability are both limited to a project with a clear start and end date.<ref>Thomas, Rhané (June 15, 2009). "IT Managers and Project Management". PM Hut. Retrieved December 13, 2009.</ref>

Most IT management programs are designed to educate and develop managers who can effectively manage the planning, design, selection, implementation, use, and administration of emerging and converging information and communications technologies. The program curriculum provides students with the technical knowledge and management knowledge and skills needed to effectively integrate people, information and communication technologies, and business processes in support of organizational strategic goals.<ref name="Master of Management (Information Technology)">"Master of Management (Information Technology)". Charles Sturt University. Retrieved 2014-09-03.</ref>

IT Managers need to know predominantly Technical and Managerial skills such as analyst of computer systems , information security analyst, compute, planning, communication technologies, and business processes.<ref name="Rasmussen">Meinke, Hannah (2020), "How to Become an IT Manager: What You Need to Succeed", Technology Blog, Rasmussen University.</ref>

Graduates should be able:

1. to explain the important terminology, facts, concepts, principles, analytic techniques, and theories used in IT management.
2. to apply important terminology, facts, concepts, principles, analytic techniques, and theories in IT management when analyzing complex factual situations.
3. to integrate (or synthesize) important facts, concepts, principles, and theories in IT management when developing solutions to IT management multifaceted problems in complex situations.<ref name="Journal - Knowledge of Management, Economics and Information Technology">"Journal - Knowledge of Management, Economics and Information Technology" (PDF). scientificpapers.org. Retrieved 2014-09-03.</ref>

Consequences of IT management deficiencies

In 2013, hackers managed to install malware with the intent of stealing Target's customers' information. The malware targeted “40 million credit card numbers—and 70 million addresses, phone numbers, and other pieces of personal information”. About six months before this happened, Target invested 1.6 million dollars to install the malware detection tool made by FireEye, whose security product is also used by the CIA. The software spotted the malware, and alert was sent out as intended. However, nothing was done beyond that point. The hackers successfully got away with one third of US Consumers’ confidential information. Target's security system’s unresponsiveness led to 90 lawsuits being filed against Target, which went on top of another approximate $61 million USD spent just responding to the breach, <ref>Riley, M., Elgin, B., Lawrence, D., & Matlack, C. (2014, March 13). Missed Alarms and 40 Million Stolen Credit Card Numbers: How Target Blew It. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from [3] </ref>

See also

• Information Resources Management Journal
• Information infrastructure