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Assignment

Student Name

University Name

Operational Excellence

Professor Name

Date
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1.The productivity paradox refers to the phenomenon where advancements in

technology and increased investment in IT do not always result in an increase in productivity.

The question of why this occurs has been a topic of debate among academics, with various

theories proposed over the years. One explanation is that companies may not be using

technology effectively or efficiently enough to reap its benefits fully. It could be due to

inadequate training programs for employees, lack of technological infrastructure or

implementation problems. Another possibility is that some industries have reached their

maximum potential when it comes to automation and digitization. For instance,

manufacturing plants have already automated most repetitive tasks such as assembly lines

while service-oriented businesses like healthcare require human intervention which cannot

easily be replaced by machines.

2.In the article Does IT Matter, Nicholas Carr argues that information technology (IT)

has become a commodity and no longer provides competitive advantage to companies. He

suggests that as technology becomes more standardized, it can be easily replicated by

competitors, thereby reducing its value. According to Carr, the strategic importance of IT has

diminished over time due to advances in computing power and networking technologies

which have made it accessible to all firms regardless of their size or business model. Carr

further points out that investments in new IT infrastructure often do not lead to increased

profits for a company unless they are used strategically. Instead, he cautions against overly

investing in this area since such investment does not provide enough long-term benefits

compared with other areas like human resources or intellectual property rights protection.

3.The 2008 study by Brynjolfsson and McAfee presented a unique perspective on the

relationship between technology and productivity in businesses. One of the primary ways this

study differs from previous investigations is its focus on not only how technology impacts

workforces but also how it alters decision-making processes within organizations. In contrast
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to earlier studies, which tended to focus solely on technological innovations that increased

output through automation or higher efficiency methods, the authors highlight that new

technologies can both enhance as well as disrupt business models. This means managers need

to consider carefully whether they should integrate these new solutions before implementing

them across their operations.

4.In today's competitive marketplace, having a competitive advantage is key for

businesses to stand out and succeed. A competitive advantage refers to the unique qualities or

strategies that allow a business to outperform its competitors in areas such as price, quality,

service, innovation, or reputation. Operational excellence is one way that businesses can

create a sustainable competitive advantage. This involves constantly improving internal

processes and systems while reducing costs without sacrificing quality. By achieving

operational excellence through Lean Six Sigma practices such as process mapping and root

cause analysis, companies are able to streamline their operations resulting in increased

efficiency at every stage of production.

5.The value chain is a strategic framework that helps organizations to identify

activities and processes that add value for customers. The primary activities of the value

chain include inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and

service. Each of these activities has its unique contribution to the creation and delivery of

products or services. Inbound logistics pertains to all activities related to receiving goods

from suppliers or vendors. This activity includes transportation, warehousing inventory

control management among others. Operations refer primarily towards transforming raw

materials into finished products or delivering services after production through various work

centre process optimization techniques (Kano et al., 2020). Outbound Logistics involve

moving completed goods outwards with respect warehouses or production facilities toward

customers via different means like transportation pipelines.

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6.The Internet has revolutionized the way businesses operate and compete, leading to

significant changes in industry profitability. The impact of the internet on profitability is

complex. However, it can be argued that overall, companies have experienced both positive

and negative effects. On one hand, the Internet has levelled the playing field by providing

smaller firms with greater visibility and access to customers than ever before. This increased

competition forces larger companies to become more efficient in their operations and strive

for operational excellence. Additionally, e-commerce has significantly reduced transaction

costs while enabling businesses to reach global markets at a fraction of previous costs.

However, there are also challenges associated with operating online which may negatively

affect business profits. These include issues such as cyber threats from hackers or other

malicious actors that pose risks not only to corporate data but also customer information

privacy concerns.

7.Electronic Data Interchange, commonly known as EDI, is a digital system that

enables businesses to exchange documents and information with one another. The process

involves the transfer of structured data between computer systems without the need for

manual intervention. At its core, an EDI system consists of three primary components sender

or receiver software applications, communications technology such as Value-Added

Networks (VANs) or Internet-based communication protocols like AS2, and standards such as

ANSI X12 or UN/EDIFACT which govern how data should be formatted for transmission.

When two organizations use EDI to communicate with each other, they first agree on which

message types and formats they will use. For instance, if company A regularly sends purchase

orders to company B via EDI it may require specific fields for these electronic documents to

be deemed legal by regulators.

8.The decisions can be structured, such as following a prescribed set of steps, or

unstructured where various factors are considered without clear guidance. Semi-structured
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decision-making falls between these two categories, they involve defining some options but

not all the information needed to entirely identify potential choices. An excellent example of

a semi-structured decision is choosing which undergraduate courses to take in university. A

student will have preliminary understanding and awareness related to their skills or interests

or professional aspirations linked with subjects while at university in that community's

contexts. Nevertheless, additional information is necessary for identifying the specific classes

informative value proposition since there exists numerous educational pathways available

within multiple programmes.

9.A collaborative information system (CIS) is an essential tool in streamlining

business operations and achieving operational excellence. At its core, a CIS serves as a secure

platform for the seamless exchange of data and knowledge within an organization. When

used effectively, a CIS can help businesses break down silos that exist between departments

and improve collaboration among team members. By sharing vital information from all areas

of the company on one unified platform, employees can work together with greater efficiency

towards common goals. Moreover, bridging these gaps fosters better decision-making as it

provides access to larger datasets which helps teams interpret critical insights faster than

before combining multiple sources.

10.In the 2008 article, Brynjolfsson and McAfee argue that information technology

(IT) can play a significant role in achieving competitive advantage for organizations.

According to the authors, IT can transform business processes enabling firms to operate more

efficiently and effectively than their competitors. One of the key ways that IT can create a

competitive advantage is through its ability to automate manual tasks. By automating

repetitive or tedious activities such as data entry or file management, companies gain

efficiencies by reducing errors while increasing productivity levels throughout operations.

Another way in which IT provides value towards organizational competitiveness is through

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enhancing decision-making capabilities using analytics tools. The vast amount of quantitative

data generated by modern businesses gives managers access to insights into market trends,

customer preferences and other valuable indicators that allow them not only make better-

informed decisions but also respond quicker when necessary.

Exercise 1

In the article IT Doesn't Matter, Nicholas Carr argues that technology has become

commoditized, rendering it less of a competitive advantage for companies. He believes that

the differences between PC and Mac are negligible in terms of overall functionality and value

to businesses. Similarly, he asserts that Open Office offers similar capabilities as Microsoft

Office at a lower cost. However, when examining Microsoft PowerPoint versus Tableau for

data visualization or presentation creation needs by organizations in an operational excellence

context. Crafted charts on efforts key metric tracking using LEAN Six Sigma require optimal

display techniques following efficient practices so despite such application requirements

initially (Carr, 2020). The tools could be perceived expensive keeping in view long-term run

efficiently proven technologies payoff well rendering best decision practices being involved.

Thomas Davenport rightly supports use of enterprise automatic deployment under

comprehensive governance aiding compliance. The significant review authority delegated

reduces cost management issues many folds businesses consistent goals achievement scoring

improved. ROI scores better on threshold opportunities at bankable levels as would assessed

by any diligently-effective optimisation analyst today.

Regarding presentation tools such as PowerPoint versus data visualization platforms

like Tableau again, it depends upon the objective if they want easy-to-use features then go for

PowerPoint but if they are looking towards detailed analysis opt tableau instead. Overall,

Carr's position on technology suggests that organizations should focus on operational

excellence rather than seeking competitive advantages through specific hardware or software
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choices. By optimizing processes across all areas of operations from product development to

supply chain management companies can achieve significant improvements in efficiency and

effectiveness without relying solely on technological advancements.

Exercise 2

Nicholas Carr is an American writer and scholar known for his controversial article IT

Does not Matter, which was published in the Harvard Business Review in 2003. In this

article, Carr argued that information technology (IT) had become a commodity like electricity

or railroads, with little potential to offer competitive advantage. Since then, Carr has

published several books on the subject of IT and its impact on society, including The Big

Switch Rewiring the World from Edison to Google (2008) and The Shallows What the

Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (2010). In these works, he continues to argue that while IT

has transformed many aspects of work and life, it is mostly a tool for efficiency rather than

innovation. Carr believes companies should focus less on being cutting-edge tech adopters

but instead strive towards achieving Operational Excellence (OE) by embedding best

practices into core processes throughout organizational levels. Ultimately drives performance

improvement contributing significantly toward attaining Competitive Advantage (CA).

However, more recently Carr acknowledges that certain types of companies can still

achieve competitive advantages through their use of IT. He notes that industries such as

finance or e-commerce rely heavily on complex software systems which create significant

barriers for new entrants thereby giving big companies major economies-of-scale type

advantages over smaller competitors. Overall, Nicholas remains cautious about assigning too

much strategic importance solely due investments made into digital resourcing. Since they

often created cannibalisation symptoms when suffered negative returns unfulfilled hopes &

expectations among investors reflected by dropping stock prices at Wall Street exchanges.
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Exercise 3

Operational excellence is a crucial aspect for any business that seeks to maximize

productivity and efficiency. One key element of operational excellence is effective

collaboration among team members, regardless of their geographic location. WebEx, a video-

conferencing tool developed by Cisco Systems, offers businesses an extensive range of

features that can contribute significantly to good collaboration. One such feature is the ability

to host virtual meetings with up to 100 participants simultaneously. This makes it possible for

team members located in different regions or countries to attend meetings without having to

travel thus saving time and money on transportation costs. Additionally, WebEx allows screen

sharing which enhances communication as each participant can view what others are working

on thereby facilitating feedback sessions.

Another important feature offered by WebEx is its recording capability which enables

users who missed the meeting live stream. They can access those recordings later at their own

convenience making it easier for them keep up-to-date with what was discussed during

previous meetings. Compared with other popular online collaboration tools like Skype or

Google Hangouts, however there are some notable differences between these platforms.

Skype's primary function focuses more on voice calls rather than conferencing while Google

Hangouts provides similar capabilities as Zoom (Margounakis et al., 2020). It allowing

people share their desktop but does not offer many options beyond. This basic functionality

when compared against advanced software like Webex Teams designed specifically around

creating environments where ideas flow freely and have all the necessary tools available right

at the fingertips. In conclusion, while there are several web-based collaborative solutions

available today, few match the extensive list of features provided by WebEx. Including large

capacity hosting capabilities coupled with screen-sharing technology enabling remote

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workers from across borders communicate effectively contributing positively towards

organizational growth through increased levels operational efficiency.

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Reference

Kano, L., Tsang, E. W., & Yeung, H. W. C. (2020). Global value chains: A review of the

multi-disciplinary literature. Journal of international business studies, 51, 577-622.

Carr, N. (2020). The shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. WW Norton &

Company.

Margounakis, D., Pachidis, T., Politis, D., & others. (2020). A rubric-based evaluation of

video conferencing services for educational use. 8th International Scientific

ConferenceTechnics and Informatics in Education Faculty of Technical Sciences,

124–132.