My Learning from the WestJet Case Study
Case Analysis
The case study by Munro and Khan (2013) indicates that IT has played a significant role to make the WestJet a remarkable success. WestJet started its function in 1996 with three uses Boeing 737-200 aircraft in five western Canadian Cities. However, by 2011, the airline boasted its activities reaching more than 90 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, 85 destinations in 18 countries and over nine thousand employees. It became “the second-largest carrier in Canada and ninth largest in North America. It described itself as a ‘high-value, low-fare airline’ with a corporate culture focused on delivering a ‘world-class guest experience’” (p. 1). The role of IT was brilliant is success of the
Aligning IT and Business Strategy
There are various practices, tools and techniques that help organizations in aligning IT with their business strategies. For example, Cioinex Inc. (2015 A) provides seven steps to business and IT alignment. These steps include identifying business drivers, creating IT vision, assessing current alignment, identifying alignment gaps, prioritizing IT initiatives, evaluating implementation options, creating a migration plan and adjusting IT strategy. In addition, Cioinext Inc. (2015 B) provide five strategies for aligning IT with business strategies. These strategies include starting with business process and being a diplomat by empowering all constituents to seek win-win. Also, it includes cultivating business partnership, mandating customer participation in IT project and providing thought learning. Furthermore, strengthening business management information systems such as customer relations management, accounting management, and other systems would be alternative approaches to aligning IT with business strategies.
Conclusion
Aligning the IT with business strategies is one of the key organizational components that play significant roles in success and growth of the organizations. Drnevich and Croson (2013) states “Information technology matters to business success because it directly affects the mechanisms through which they create and capture value to