Current event paper - Essay Example

September 8, Current Events Paper: How CIOs Can Support the Growth Agenda The chapter on aggregate planning and master scheduling provided various illuminating concepts that enhanced one’s understanding on the importance of learning different concepts pertinent to these main points. As presented, aggregate planning was noted to be classified as intermediate-ranged in terms of time frame and where its applicability could be most appreciated in organizations that manifest volatility in demand.

Likewise, the module also presented apt rationales for using aggregate planning, such as: (1) considering that ample time need to be allowed to design appropriate plans; (2) the impossibility of establishing with exact accuracy the volume, as well as timing of demand for the organizations’ products or services; (3) the link between plans and budgeting, which therefore evidently requires inputs from various departments; and (4) the way aggregate planning impinges and affects other facets of the organization.

In this regard, the article entitled “How CIOs Can Support the Growth Agenda”, published online in The Wall Street Journal through this link: http://deloitte.wsj.com/cio/2013/01/03/how-cios-can-align-it-with-the-business-to-unlock-growth/?KEYWORDS=planning+in+organizations+2013, presented pertinent issues that acknowledge the importance of aggregate planning in tapping opportunities for growth, especially within the information technology (IT) aspect. It was initially indicated that as a result of improving economic conditions, cost-cutting measures, which were previously the strategy applied by numerous organizations have started to be re-aligned.

Instead, growth strategies start to be emphasized and IT, which is mostly volatile in nature, is evidently affected by the erratic changes in the external environment. Further, it was disclosed that even when there have been remarkable prospects to capture opportunities for growths, several organizations have maintained a fixed budgeting planning process, relating to IT (How CIOs Can Support the Growth Agenda). To support the organization’s overall growth agenda, the article proposed the following strategies: (1) to organize IT in such a way that it clearly supports organization’s goals; (2) realigning system architecture to immediately recognize and accommodate growth potentials; and (3) to emphasize that data information is a strategic asset that must be integrated within the organization’s aggregate planning activities (How CIOs Can Support the Growth Agenda).

From the information relayed in the article, it is evident that without aggregate planning in various departments of the organizations, including IT, there are opportunities that could be missed by contemporary organization, especially those that apply growth strategies. For one, the article delved into the challenges faced by Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in aligning the budget for IT within the organization’s plans and growth prospects. As learned from the module, aggregate planning requires the application of a mix in proactive and reactive strategies to match demand and supply.

As such, contemporary organizations who plan to pursue aggressive growth strategies using varied marketing tools, should also integrate plans of adjusting budgets for IT which would support growth prospects of the organization. In treating data as strategic assets, for instance, it was emphasized that “CIOs should consider introducing technologies that can help manage data more strategically…As the keepers of these technologies, CIOs can add considerable value to the planning process” (How CIOs par. 8). Work Cited "How CIOs Can Support the Growth Agenda.

" 3 January 2013. The Wall Street Journal. 22 March 2013 .