Penn State, META Group Offer Unique Program To Help Executives Align Business And IT Strategies

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (June 10, 2004)—Studies show that many organizations mistakenly fail to leverage information technology to support overall business objectives, but a new, one-of-a-kind executive education program from META Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: METG), Penn State’s School of Information Sciences and Technology, and Penn State Executive Programs prepares executives and senior managers to successfully drive growth by aligning IT with organizational goals.

“The Emerging Enterprise Technology Strategist: Leveraging IT for Organizational Success” will be held from Sept. 27 through Oct. 1 at Penn State’s University Park campus. The program combines a broad strategic view drawn from academic research and theory with a focused real-world organizational perspective. Following a week of interactive sessions and applied workshops, attendees emerge with a template that helps them understand what they need to do in their own organizations and how it must be done to align and leverage business and IT. Attendees also gain an understanding of the role of enterprise program management as well as the constructs needed to create an “adaptive enterprise architecture.”

According to a META Group study, fewer than 10 percent of chief information officers have aligned performance metrics with business objectives. This failure results in lost business opportunities as well as inefficient use of resources and can lead to an inability to respond quickly to changing market conditions — a necessity in today’s volatile business environment.

“IT is a strategic enabler, so an organization can maintain or realize great competitive advantage when IT is aligned with an organization’s key processes, technologies, and people,” said James B. Thomas, IST dean. “This program provides a unique opportunity for participants to learn what emerging technologies will be critical to their organizations’ strategies, to learn how supporting IT architectures can make business strategies work, and to see how IT can be used to create and support their organizations’ core competencies.”

The program provides information, guidance, and insight for senior IT managers as they plan and implement future IT investments. Participants will discuss trends, best practices, implementation issues, and strategies in order to better use those investments for their organizations’ business imperatives. “CEOs and boards of directors are demanding more effective strategy development and implementation processes,” said Richard Buchanan, vice president and director of META Group’s Enterprise Planning & Architecture Strategies. “Organization and governance are being re-engineered to synthesize business strategy, enterprise architecture, and program management processes. Business and IT personnel must learn to collaborate and positively critique each function’s activities.”

First offered in December 2003, the program was developed by META Group, a leading provider of information technology research, advisory services, and strategic consulting; Penn State’s School of Information Sciences and Technology; and Penn State Executive Programs. Past participants have come from a broad range of industries as well as government agencies including the U.S. Navy, NASA, and Fidelity Investments.

The program’s faculty leaders include James B. Thomas (IST), Richard Buchanan (META Group), and Albert A. Vicere, executive education professor of strategic leadership at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business.

Penn State’s School of Information Sciences and Technology is a leader among a group of innovative schools focused on educating students who can bridge technology, organizations, and people’s information needs to provide integrated solutions. Launched in 1999, the IST program facilitates partnerships among industry, government, and education with a curriculum that combines theory and real-world practice.
For additional information and to register, visit: www.smeal.psu.edu/psep/eets.html.

About Penn State
Penn State is a multi-campus, public, land-grant university seeking to improve the lives of the people of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality programs in teaching, research, and service. The mission of the School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) is to deliver critical knowledge to organizations challenged by technology issues and to inspire innovative, workable solutions through education, research, partnerships, and community. Penn State Executive Programs leverages the expertise of industry partners and the University community to deliver a range of open-enrollment and custom education solutions that make individuals and their organizations more competitive.

About META Group
META Group is a leading provider of information technology research, advisory services, and strategic consulting. Delivering objective and actionable guidance, META Group’s experienced analysts and consultants are trusted advisors to IT and business executives around the world. Its unique collaborative models and dedicated customer service help clients be more efficient, effective, and timely in their use of IT to achieve their business goals. Visit www.metagroup.com for more details on its high-value approach.

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REPORTERS & EDITORS: For more information, please contact Wyatt DuBois in the Smeal College of Business Media Relations Office at 814-863-3798 or wed112@psu.edu.

Penn State's Smeal College of Business offers highly ranked undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, Ph.D., and executive education opportunities to more than 5,500 students at all levels. Featuring academic departments of accounting, finance, marketing, insurance and real estate, management, and supply chain and information systems, the college is also home to major research centers such as the Center for Supply Chain Research, the Institute for the Study of Business Markets, the Center for Digital Transformation, the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Center for Global Business Studies, and the Center for the Management of Technological and Organizational Change.

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