Case Study on the Use of Information Technology to Improve Business
Processes in an Organization:
Collaboration Tools/Enterprise Social Media
Imagine that your boss requested a proposal on how collaboration can be improved in your organization. (If
you prefer not to use your current organization as an example, you can use a previous organization you
have worked or participated in, including volunteer organizations.) You have started learning about
enterprise social media and other technology-assisted collaboration tools and would like to consider how
these technology tools can improve and strengthen collaboration in your organization.
Consider the following aspects of organizational collaboration and technology that assists us with
collaboration in your proposal:
¢ What are the current, most common ways to collaborate in your organization?
¢ Does most of the collaboration occur in face-to-face situations or with the assistance of technology
(such as email, web meetings, discussion forums, document repositories, instant messaging/chats,
video calls, and enterprise social media)?
¢ What technology tools are available for collaboration in your organization and which of these
tools are commonly used?
¢ Can you envision how collaborative processes can be improved “ both through process
improvement and through better use of technology?
¢ What changes in work processes will drive better collaboration and increased efficiencies for the
organization?
¢ Do you think existing collaborative technology tools you already have available in the
organization can play a significant part in improving collaboration? If so, explain how the tools
can help. If not, explain why you think the tools cannot help with improving collaboration.
¢ Are there additional technological collaboration tools your organization can invest in, that can be
part of the process to improve collaboration?
¢ If you could invest in only one additional technological collaboration tool, what would it be, and
what is the value you expect it to bring to your organizations collaboration?
¢ What do you expect to be some of the challenges in introducing this new collaborative tool and
getting everyone to incorporate it into their work processes? How can you plan to address these
challenges?
Create your response as a proposal you will submit to your boss. Document the current collaborative
approaches in your organization. Provide a new strategy that will address current issues and aim to provide
improvement to organizational collaboration. Explain the potential risks as well as pros and cons of your
strategy.
Format your response as an APA paper and include a bibliography with references/sources you have consulated in preparing your proposal