Discussion: Water Cooler: Policy Buy-In -1

Discussion: Water Cooler: Policy Buy-In
The CIO has overall responsibility for information assets, operations, and policy. According to Mullins and Klinowski (2003) , a CIO aligns an organization’s information technologies with its strategic business objectives. The role has evolved to be primarily business-oriented, not technological.

A CIO can craft a computer usage policy so that it assures safe operation of the organization’s IT systems. IT policies can be politically sensitive—they must balance the needs of users throughout the organization against the safety and efficiency of the IT infrastructure. For a policy to be successful, users must be willing and able to comply. Even if technological controls prevent outright violations, an overly burdensome policy likely will be circumvented.

What happens to an executive’s credibility if he or she announces a new policy or procedure, only to have to change it quickly? To be effective, the change has to be something that people will accept and can follow. A lot depends on how the change is introduced. Does the announcement foster buy-in and compliance?

To prepare for this Discussion, read a case study of an organizational IT policy or procedure change. You may use the Walden University Library, the web, or a situation with which you are familiar.

Summarize the case study you chose. Outline the procedures you would implement to achieve organizational buy-in. Was the change successful? What key factors contributed to this outcome? Explain your reasoning.

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Resistance to change is commonplace in many organizations around the world. However, there are ways to deal with resistance and bring about positive change management in an organization.
The Good Samaritan Hospital had been operating normally with regards to the use of manual patient paper charts until 2005 when the management introduced an electronic medical records system. It required all physicians to start using the new system to manage patient records and service delivery. The new system was faced with a lot of resistance from the hospital’s physicians with some complaining that entering prescriptions and treatment orders themselves rather than relating them to nurses was…