Robatelli’s Continuing Case Solution – Chapter 6
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(a) Do you think Robatelli’s business strategy is driving the development of its
information systems, or vice versa? Use points from the case to support your
answer.
While it is apparent that there is a critical link between Robatelli’s information system
and its long-term strategic planning, the case clearly gives the indication that the
business strategy drives the information systems development. Several points are
made in the case to bring this point across, including:
1. In the Introduction, a point is made that “the company’s aggressive growth
2. In addition, the conversation between Robatelli’s CIO, CFO and database
3. The case points out that Elaine realized that her IT department had to be
4. The case also mentions that the business is changing frequently and that
systems maintenance is an ongoing activity meant to keep up with the business
changes.
It is clear from these statements that the company sets its business strategy and then
develops an information system that can support such strategies in order to provide
Robatelli’s with a competitive advantage.
(b) Describe the steps Robatelli’s should take (according to the SDLC stages) to ensure
that its IT systems are aligned with its business strategy.
design, implementation and use of IT systems. The oversight and management of the
SDLC is the responsibility of the steering committee. Both of these management
processes, the steering committee and the SDLC, are necessary in the strategic
management of IT systems.
addition, this top management group has the authority to allocate resources and time to
these IT change projects. Lower level managers would not have the authority or
standing within the organization to push through IT changes.
If the steering committee determines that the IT system is not sufficiently enhancing the
company’s ability to meet strategic objectives, it should begin the SDLC process. The
By assessing strategic company objectives and conducting feasibility analyses,
decisions can be made about whether a proposed IT change matches company
strategy and whether it is feasible to buy, implement, and operate a proposed system.
If the proposed IT change meets strategic objectives and is feasible, the remaining
phases of the SDLC should be undertaken. Generally, these phases include systems
analysis, system design, system implementation, and system operation. These phases
(c) Describe whether any parts of Robatelli’s IT system could be adapted to cloud
computing.
Student responses are likely to vary, but most students should recognize that Robatelli’s
could utilize a cloud computing model, which would be reasonably adaptable in its order
processing and accounting functions. For its telephone and Internet orders, maintaining
cloud computing applications for software and data storage could enhance the
company’s ability to process orders and transmit those orders to its various restaurant
locations. In addition, cloud computing applications could enhance the restaurant
managers’ ability to transmit sales summaries to the accounting department. In
essence, a third party could provide the services that are currently available through
Robatell’s intranet.