The question that resurfaces every so often in our circles is “Does IT offer any value to modern corporations?” Mr. Nicholas Carr in his book “Does IT matter?” postulates that the value of IT as a business differentiator has diminished to the value of electricity; that is nil.
Well he is right up to a point. There is very little value created in IT departments where zombie Middle Management MandarInS run the Information Systems, albeit they produce a sleuth or reports and KPIs. It seems that most modern technology consuming companies are victims to the zombiefication by degree process.
When I mention the term “degree” I mean that miscegenated offspring of an excel spreadsheet and a marketing manual, the MIS degree. The true decline of IT’s true value to any corporation started with the advent of the MIS degree. I consider it the number one retardant in the flexibility required by modern environments to adapt quickly and effectively to change. Quite frankly it still beffudles me how someone can manage computer teams without basic coding skills. It is akin to a shop manager not knowing how to change spark plugs or oil.
Oddly enough, and in par with the ironic nature of the universe, the self same mandarins who choke the life out of any attempt to accelerate or adopt innovation in their IT departments, are the most fervent adopters of novel personal technology. I have often witnessed zombie mandarins They would be the first ones to buy an xPhone and demand of their staff to bypass all regulations so they can get their e-mail on it, yet they would consider an FLOSS solution to the corporate e-mail as a too dodgy solution…
We will probably need a lot of flowers to combat these zombie MIS mandarins from the office space.
Manage Not, Engage! 