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CASO: La Transformación Estratégica de TI de Accenture

1. INTRODUCCIÓN
Accenture es una compañía global de consultoría, servicios de tecnología y empresa de outsourcing, con más de 261.000 personas trabajando en más de 120 países. Combinando una gran experiencia y capacidades necesarias para su participación activa en todas las industrias y en diversas funciones de negocios, ha realizado extensas investigaciones en las empresas más exitosas del mundo. Accenture colabora con los clientes para ayudarles a convertirse en empresas de alto desempeño. La compañía generó ganancias de US$27.9 mil millones de dólares al finalizar el ejercicio al 31 de agosto 2012.

En 2001 Accenture tomó la valiente decisión de separarse de su firma padre, Arthur Andersen. Esta nueva organización tendría un futuro brillante, pero también se debía enfrentar al reto de construir una nueva infraestructura de TI que puede apoyar una organización global con tecnología de vanguardia. El CIO de Accenture en ese momento, Frank Modruson, sucesor de Ed Schreck y la persona responsable de llevar adelante el desafío de la transformación de TI a partir de 2002, tenía planes ambiciosos para la nueva infraestructura tecnológica que consistía en sustituir los sistemas de legado de Arthur Andersen.

Tuvieron que tomarse decisiones, si la empresa debería continuar con enfoque descentralizado en la gestión de plataformas tecnológicas, en el que cada país elige a sus propias plataformas y tiene autonomía para ejecutarlos o si la empresa debería adoptar un enfoque mixto, en el que las mismas aplicaciones estándar se alineaban en toda la empresa, pero gestionadas de forma independiente en cada una de las oficinas o si debería Accenture adoptar un enfoque de "una empresa" y audazmente ir por una implementación centralizada de sus sistemas más críticos, con todas sus oficinas interconectados en una misma "instancia" de una plataforma de software. Además, la empresa mantendría su concepción tradicional de las TI como centro de costo o debe migrar a un centro de prestación de servicios que generan un valor medible para la organización? Estas preguntas y muchas otras condujeron equipo CIO de Accenture para llevar a cabo una de las más notables transformaciones de TI en una organización mundial en los últimos años.

2. PRINCIPALES DECISIONES
Accenture es un brillante ejemplo de una transformación exitosa de TI, éxito que se debió a la cultura de la organización y los riesgos que asumió la nueva dirección en forma calculada para su separación y la definición de una nueva organización. Fueron muchas las decisiones difíciles que tuvieron que tomarse sobre la nueva estrategia de TI:

* Sólo podía contar con la infraestructura de Andersen para un año más. Accenture debía encontrar la mejor solución para continuar, esto significó definir un consejo de consultoría para la gestión de su infraestructura de TI como un negocio dentro de una empresa. Esta decisión no sólo permitió reducir costos sino que también logró unificar las diferentes área de la empresa.

* La elección de Microsoft como socio de Accenture permitió reducir los gastos generales, le dio flexibilidad, escalabilidad para su crecimiento. Muchas de las aplicaciones utilizadas por Accenture ya eran parte de la familia Microsoft, y se buscaría la migración para las que no eran. Un ejemplo fue el correo electrónico, Accenture fue capaz de utilizar Microsoft Office y ofrecer diferentes capacidades de almacenamiento para diferentes sucursales de la empresa con una escala adecuada de precios en los diferentes países.

* No sólo se redujeron los costos de la estructura física de TI, la mano de obra en el departamento de TI también se ajustó. Accenture entrenaba gradualmente su personal para resolver los diferentes problemas de los clientes y la transición al nuevo sistema, esto redujo los costos y permitió incrementar la satisfacción hacia el departamento de TI.

* El enfoque de un solo proveedor y el apoyo de outsourcing para los procesos no crítico de TI fue una táctica ambiciosa, con un gran potencial y también alto riesgo. La estrategia era bastante amplia y su aplicación fue gradual, aunque no se consiguió implementar plenamente en un año como se esperaba, esto pudo ser efectivo en 2010, sólo el 14% del personal de TI de Accenture trabajaba directamente para la empresa.

3. PREGUNTAS:

1. ¿Cuáles son los recursos, capacidades y factores críticos de éxito en la transformación de Accenture?

Accenture cuenta con una amplia experiencia en programas de transformación de TI que ayudan a muchas organizaciones a mejorar el desempeño de su función de TI a través de cambios a gran escala en la cultura, procesos y tecnología.

Ha definido una estrategia de TI de clase mundial con capacidades de consultoría para ayudar a las organizaciones a capitalizar en las perspectivas de crecimiento emergente, altos niveles de eficiencia de TI y la posición de la organización de TI en el negocio para el futuro.

Entre los principales recursos y capacidades se pueden identificar:

Arquitectura Empresarial: Permite ofrecer servicios para ayudar a las organizaciones a implementar una visión y la hoja de ruta y el gobierno para usar las TI en la dirección que necesita el negocio hoy y dar soporte a su crecimiento.

Proveedor de TI: Accenture es proveedor líder en consultoría de tecnología de información, con más de 20 años de experiencia implementando mejoras de TI con clientes alrededor del mundo, desarrollando continuamente a través de investigación herramientas de para diagnóstico, modelos y plantillas que son usados con los clientes. Experiencia de profesionales en estrategia de TI: Asistiendo a compañías a nivel mundial para crear e implementar estartegias de TI y arquitectura empresarial, más de 100,000 colaboradores cubren el rango de estas capacidades en tecnología.

2. ¿En qué impacto la transformación en la organización de Accenture?

Los resultados de la transformación de TI de Accenture le dieron uniformidad a la empresa en relación con sus procesos de negocio, mientras que la definición de su identidad como una empresa innovadora capaz de producir resultados. Por otra parte, la promoción de esta unidad y la colaboración en la mejora se debió al hecho de que Accenture es una organización global con un conjunto común de herramientas de todo el mundo.

El enfoque de la transformación era ambicioso pero con las habilidades que las empresas necesitan para implementar con éxito una nueva arquitectura de TI y la gobernabilidad. La ejecución efectiva y eficiente de la implantación de arquitectura de TI de Accenture no sólo consiguió la reducción de los gastos, sino que también atrajo a más clientes.

Entre los beneficios obtenidos con el nuevo enfoque de transformación de TI se pueden considerar:

* Mayor armonización de las áreas de negocio y de TI * Reducción en los costos de TI de 30% * Reorientación de los gastos de TI de proyectos no estratégicos hacia los estratégicos * Mejora del ROI de las inversiones de TI * Aumento de la eficiencia de TI y la eficacia * Servicios de TI de mayor calidad * Fácil integración después de la fusión * Menor tiempo de lanzamiento al mercado

3. ¿En qué perspectiva de alineación estratégica se ubica Accenture? Explique.

Perspectivas:

Sostenemos que Accenture se sitúa en la perspectiva de la alineación estratégica de Potencial Tecnológico debido a que es la Estrategia de Negocio la que establece una visión para la Estrategia de TI .Esto se demuestra cuando existe la participación de COOs en el Comité Directivo para la priorización de proyectos de TI y establece la exigencia de una justificación de proyectos que beneficien al negocio usando herramientas de ROI y cuya arquitectura es diseñada por la Dirección de TI.

La alineación con la visión de Accenture se complementa al requerir que los proyectos seleccionados demuestren su valor entregado de forma sostenida por un un espacio determinado de tiempo a traves de las auditorias.

4. ¿Cuáles son la principales capacidades que se han involucrado en la transformación de acuerdo al IT - CMF

Gestión de TI como Negocio * ITG - Liderazgo y gobierno de TI
Marco de toma de decisiones y responsabilidades sobre la maximización del valor para el negocio generado por TI

* BPM - Gestión de procesos del negocio
Gestión y documentación de los flujos de procesos de TI, los procesos de negocio y la cadena de valor

* SP - Planificación de la estrategia
Ajuste de la visión, misión y objetivos de la organización de TI para dirigir las estrategias globales de la empresa

* AA - Contabilidad e imputación de costes
Políticas, procesos y herramientas utilizadas para calcular y distribuir el costo de TI

* ODP - Diseño y planificación de la organización
Revisión y si fuera necesario reorganización del alineamiento entre la organización de TI y las necesidades de la empresa

* SRC – Aprovisionamiento
Identificación y desarrollo de los acuerdos con proveedores internos y externos

* SAI - Analítica y conocimiento del servicio
Seguimiento del rendimiento de TI, modelos y análisis para establecer un entendimiento claro entre los procesos del negocio y las infraestructuras de TI

Gestión de las capacidades de TI * EAM - Gestión de la arquitectura empresarial
Modelos y prácticas para definir, planificar y gestionar las capacidades de TI y del negocio

* TIM - Gestión de la infraestructura técnica
Optimización de la infraestructura (incluyendo cliente, red, almacenamiento, servidor) para dar soporte al negocio

* PAM - Gestión de las personas
Gestión y formación de personas para que contribuyan a la organización de TI

* RAM - Gestión de las relaciones
Gestión de la información, incluyendo el conjunto de aplicaciones, la información de las bases de datos, y el conocimiento acumulado sobre la implantación de sistemas

* RDE - Investigación, desarrollo e ingeniería (I+D+I)
Mejora de la relación de TI con la organización y las unidades de negocio

* SD - Entrega de las soluciones
Investigación de nuevas tecnologías de la información y de las oportunidades que estas brindan

* SRP - Prestación del servicio
Despliegue de sistemas que aportan una solución eficiente a las necesidades y oportunidades de TI

* UTM - Gestión de la formación de los usuarios
Provisión de servicios de TI fiables para apoyar los objetivos y las estrategias de la empresa

* UED - Diseño de la experiencia del usuario
Maximización de las competencias de los usuarios para asegurar que adquieren las capacidades adecuadas en el momento adecuado

* SUM - Gestión de proveedores
Desarrollo de habilidades de gestión de programas y proyectos para entregarlos a tiempo, dentro del presupuesto y cumpliendo los objetivos

* CAM - Evaluación y gestión de capacidades
Fomento de relaciones de cooperación con los proveedores para compartir el valor generado

* KM - Gestión del conocimiento
Creación y alimentación frecuente de un inventario de capacidades de la organización de TI, y realineamiento de la estructura organizativa de TI si es necesario

5. ¿Qué le recomendaría a Frank Modruson como siguiente paso en la transformación?

Accenture ha logrado a través de su Transformación Tecnológica alcanzar extraordinarios beneficios a través de una serie de medidas que se describen en el caso (Adopción de Plataformas integrales, Business Process Outsourcing de determinados procesos de TI, Reducción de Costos, Implementación de sistema de finanzas corporativo, Disciplina en la selección de proyectos TI mediante ROI.

Sin embargo, recomendamos que se adopte un marco referencial que le permita encaminar los esfuerzos de Gobernabilidad de TI teniendo como referencia un modelo que le aportara además de una escala de madurez de su situación actual, la visibilidad de aquellas capacidades que la organización podrá desarrollar a futuro para alinear TI con la estrategia del negocio.

Habiendo alternativas de estos marcos referenciales, Accenture deberá tomar en cuenta criterios no solo como la madurez del framework y su adopción en TI sino aspectos relevantes a la propia naturaleza del negocio como por ejemplo en como ayuda a la organización al cumplimiento de normativas o regulaciones a las que pudiera estar sujeta.

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...Finance and Performance Management Mastery and the High Performance Business At Accenture, we have always believed that a direct correlation exists between the sophistication of an organization’s finance and performance management capabilities and its overall performance. 2 Now, we’ve put that theory to the test. In a recent landmark study, Accenture examined the relationship between finance and high performance. The results show a tangible link and strong correlation between a high-performance business and mastery of a new finance competency set. The results also reveal that those companies that created the greatest value have embraced entirely new ways of thinking about finance and performance management. Achieving High Performance Accenture defines high-performance businesses as organizations that consistently outperform their peers over a sustained timeframe (typically 5 to 7 years) and across business cycles, industry disruptions and CEO leadership cycles. These companies deliver consistently upper-quartile total returns to shareholders. They create returns on invested capital significantly in excess of the cost of capital and drive profitable revenue growth faster than their industry peers. In short, they are lean, responsive to changing competitive fundamentals and consistently rank as market leaders. How do they do it? Accenture embarked on a major research program to identify the attributes and practices that distinguish high-performance businesses from...

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Premium Essay

Accenture

...Dear All, Accenture Technology Solutions has offered a Live Project at our campus. Accenture has been engaged by a Government organization to conduct a skill gap analysis for the Construction Sector in India. All further details regarding the project have been included in the attached document. You are expected form a team of 4-5 members and prepare a one page Synopsis outlining the overall approach that you propose to work on this project. The team formation should be as follows: • PGDM second year students can form a team within themselves or can involve students from PGDM first year also. • PGDM First year students are required to have at least two members from PGDM Second year in their teams, otherwise their team would be rejected. Accenture has provided a stringent deadline of today evening (6:00 pm, 26th August 2014) and there is no possibility to push it any further. However, this Live project requirement is the same that was floated some days back which was later called off, hence most of the teams must have already prepared the synopsis and the teams can reuse the same. Requirements: • All teams have to prepare a synopsis. The one page resume of all the members of the team should be appended at the end of synopsis in the same word file. • Name the Synopsis document as “Name1_Name2_Name3_Name4” etc. based on the number of team members. • Team details are to be filled in the attached excel sheet You are required to send me the synopsis along with...

Words: 285 - Pages: 2