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Management Development Institute, GurgaonPart Time PGP, July Sept, 2010

IS Consulting and Business Development

Prof. Dhruv Nath

Management Development InstituteGurgaon 122 001

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1. Background :

The process of Business Development involves the following broad steps :

a) Identifying a potential client, or prospectb) Finding out the clients needs, or even creating needsc) Creating a possible solution in response to these needsd) Resolving any issues that may come up, and ultimately obtaining the order

In the field of Information Systems, this is a complex process for several reasons.First of all, needs are often not known, or at least not known clearly. Often theidentified need has no significant link with the Business Goals or Strategies of thecompany. Secondly, there is no standard off-the-shelf product that can satisfy theneed. Even if an off-the-shelf product were to be used, it would have to be part ofa customized solution. And finally, the need as perceived by the IT Department of

a company is often limited in scope, since the IT Department is usually notinvolved in Strategic Decision making.

Consequently, many software firms employ the Consulting approach inidentifying and crystallizing needs. In this approach, the starting point is theBusiness Goals of the company, and Information Systems are a means toachieving these business goals. This approach necessarily involves the TopManagement of the company. It gives the Consultant an opportunity to workclosely with the Top Management, and build up the trust and faith that is socritical for large engagements. Finally, since Top Management is involved, ittends to broaden the canvas significantly, and can therefore lead to far larger

business opportunities.

The first half of this course therefore focuses on the Consulting Approach todeveloping IS Needs.

The second part of the course covers Large Account Management, with specificreference to the IS environment. As part of Large Account Management, wewould also cover Business Development with International clients, typically inOn-Site Off-Shore mode.

Finally, the course would touch upon various issues that usually come up in

engagements of this kind, along with potential solutions.

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2. Course Objectives :

To give Management students a broad understanding of :

Approaches to IS Consulting, with specific reference toRequirements Identification

Business Development in the IS Arena Managing Major Accounts, including International Accounts

3. Methodology :

Case Studies

Exercises

Discussions

Group Project

4. Evaluation :

Presentations, Class Participation, Quizzes - 20%Mid Term Exam - 20%Group Project - 30%End term Exam - 30%

5. References :

1. Corporate Information Strategy and Management, by Applegate, Austin,McFarlan : Tata McGraw Hill, 2004

2. The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman, Penguin Books, 20053. Cases and Notes to be provided

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6. Course Outline (tentative) :

S. no. Topic References

1-3 Overview of the Course

The Sales ProcessIdentifying and CreatingNeedsChannelising Needs

Case : Payroll Outsourcing

Case : Web Site Development

4 The Consulting Approach toBusiness Development

IS Planning

Case : Singapore SportsCouncil

5-7 Linking IS Needs withStrategy

IT led Strategies

Case : Apollo HospitalsCase : Hindustan Unilever

Case : Japanese Tradingcompany

8-9 Information Analysis

CSFs

Identifyingpotential ISRequirements

MIS / DSS /Operational Systems

Case Archies, others

10-11 Prioritising IS Applications Case : Glaxo

12 The Request for Proposal Case : AIC

13-14 Typical problems in ISengagements

Case Citibank

Case Survey of India

15-16 Large Account Managementfor IS Clients

Guest Faculty

17-18 International BusinessDevelopment for IS

Guest Faculty

19-20 Project Presentations