West Jet Aligning IT Business Strategy

“WestJet Aligning IT and Business Strategy”
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Abstract
Aligning IT and business strategies are essentially positioning Information technology to support the business objectives as well as organizational goals. Information Technology has become a critical business function for most organizations with high expectations of future benefits such as cost reduction, standardization of processes, productivity enhancement, improved workflow and communication and implementation of new business strategies among other. Therefore, an organizations information systems need to be aligned with its overall business strategy because in most cases it becomes a great source of competitive advantage. The paper is based on the WestJet Airlines Case. It will describe how Cheryl Smith may help her managers better understand the IT role in corporate strategy and the risks of failure to invest in resources for maintaining the alignment of IT and business strategy. The paper will also highlight the best tools that may be used in the alignment and the available alternatives to ensure the alignment of IT and business strategies.
Keywords: Information technology, business strategy, Strategic planning, WestJet Airline
Cheryl Smith may help managers at WestJet understand better the role of IT in corporate strategy by having a strategic plan to improve the managers’ understanding opportunities and limitations of IT. In the modern world, Strategic Infor…