Chapter 7
Introduction to Case Study 1
Parts Two and Three of this book are focused on case studies. More specifically, Part Two walks through a case study using a large and mature organization as its subject, and Part Three covers a case study using a midsize and growing organization as its subject. Chapters 7 to 11 of Part Two cover the full information technology (IT) assessment and optimization steps outlined over Chapters 1 to 6 for a large and mature company with a host of legacy IT systems.
Figure 7.1 illustrates the steps involved in optimizing and assessing IT.
Figure 7.1 Steps for Optimizing and Assessing IT
The case study in this part of the book covers all of the steps shown in Figure 7.1. For context, the materials covered in Chapters 3 to 5 focused on the second step shown in the figure, “Assess the Situation,” and Chapter 6 focused on the third step, “Quantify the Situation.”Let us begin by discussing the background for this case study.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
The fictitious company that is the subject of the case study for Part Two of this book is named Uppland Industries; I refer to the company as Uppland.
Uppland was founded in 1903 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and continues to maintain its corporate headquarters in Philadelphia. The company is a diversified industrial concern with a number of lines of business. Although founded as a technology design and production ...
