In this assignment, you will create a presentation for your organization to explain how successful collaboration can improve success and provide competitive advantages. Scenario: Your organization has

This document is not created by one person but, rather, is created by various individuals in the organization. Each i ndividual incorporates his or her statements into the document and then passes it along to the next person. When it is finished, someone will usually review the document and provide critical feedback. Based on this feedback, the document will be revised an d inserted as a part of the final document. As each section of the final strategic document is completed, the final document will then be ready for submission to a corporate body for approval; these revisions are called a series of stages or iterations. Collaboration tools can be used to manage shared content such as shared content with no control, shared content with version management on Google Drive, and shared content with version control (Kroenke & Boyle, 2017) . Some examples of collaboration tools are using Google Drive or Microsoft (MS) SharePoint to share documents and other tasks and using Skype or Adobe Connect to meet and discuss ideas, progress, or other information. In short, a collaborative group works together to achieve a common goal via a process of feedback and iteration by comm unicating, sharing information and knowledge, combining skills and sharing time. There are 12 qualities, attitudes , and skills of a good collaborator as explained by Kroenke & Boyle (2017) . After reviewing the Unit II Reading Assignment, think back to the Falcon Security scenario at the beginning of Chapter 2. We can see what happens to collaboration when communication breaks down. It is apparent that Felix was not in collaboration with his teammates. He had missed s everal meetings and did not read his e - mails regarding the team project. As a result, the team had trouble getting a prototype of the drone finished.

Perhaps, if the team used better collaboration tools, they might have been more successful. For example, they could have developed procedures for collaboration such as requiring all team members to be present. If a team member could not be present, they could have used Skype or some other communication tool to meet and collaborate. Sometimes, team collaborati on can fail for other reasons such as conflict. Most people think that avoiding conflict and having similar ideas and opinions makes a group better. While social ability is important, research indicates the importance of being able to have different ideas and opinions expressed. Team members must have the skills to accept critiques, criticism, and revisions of their work. In some student teams, the focus is strictly on fulfilling a requirement and not necessarily producing the highest quality of work possible through the collaborati ve efforts of the team members. Another problem that can affect team collaboration is ineffective team members. The characteristics of an ineffective team member will include lack of interest and commitment, unwillingness to give or take criticism, unwillingness to listen, and indifference. Students are typically not too tolerant of ineffective team members, but they are not always willing to boot them off the team, preferring instead to just work around them. Characteristi cs of collaborative success center on the output of the group being superior to the output that could have been created by an individual working alone, including such things as being more productive, Figure 1 : Collaboration in a team environment BBA 3551, Information Systems Management 3 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title being more creative, and generating more and better idea s. When fo rming a collaborative group, it i s useful to begin with a discussion of critic al feedback guidelines. Refer to Figure 2 -2 on page 42 of the textbook in uCertify, and review the guidelines and examples of constructive and unconstructive feedback. Collaboration IS A collaboration IS is composed of the five components of an IS, as noted by Kroenke and Boyle (2017). A collaboration IS exists for the purpose of sharing information, making decisions, solving problems, and managing projects. Referring back to the Falcon Security scenario at the beginning of the Chapter 2, notice that a collaboration IS could have provided the team with a better way to manage the project (e.g., discussing solutions to the prototype problem). It could have also helped to solve meeting attendance issues for Felix such as using Skype from home or other remote locations so that he could have attended project meetings.

The team could have also used another collaboration tool such as MS SharePoint so that Felix could have down loaded project -related documentation if he had issues with his e -mail. Solving Problems There are several steps to take when solving problems, which are listed below.  Define the p roblem : Problem definition varies due to differences in experience, educat ion, training, personal goals, or job responsibilities. Group s need to develop a shared definition of the problem through research, discussion , and compromise.  Ide ntify alternative s olutions : Identifying possible solutions may involve investigative researc h and brainstorming .  Specify evaluation c riteria : Determine the benchmark or standard measures to be used to evaluate the problem.  Evaluate a lternatives : Evaluating alternatives involves comparing test results to identify and eliminate infeasible, substandard, or unacceptable solutions and to identify feasible, superior , or acceptable solutions.  Select an a lternative : Selecting a solution may be based on majority vote, consensus, or compromise.  Implement the s olution : Implementing a selected solution includes mon itoring and modifying as needed (Kroenke & Boyle, 2017). Egocentric Versus Empathetic Thinking Egocentric thinking ce nters on the self. A person who is e gocentric believes that his or her view is the only view availab le and is often not able to think outside the box (Figure 2). Empathetic thinking is the ability to see more than one view (i.e., the ability to understand the other per son’s perspective). A person who is empathetic is able to consider multiple view points and realize that people who hold a perspective different from his or her own viewpoints are not necessarily wrong (but he or she does no t have to be wrong either). Using empathetic thinking is smart and results in better relationships because you do not need to change you r way of thinking to match the other person’s thinking . Business is people working together in relationships. Better relationships equate to better business. BBA 3551, Information Systems Management 4 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Negotiators, for example, need to know what the other side wants, what i s important to the other side , w hat issues can be negotiated, and what issues are nonnegotiable. Another example is a business meeting that appears to be going nowhere. Whenever we find ourselves in such a meeting, is the p roblem due to different perspectives? If so, one can sometimes find the root cause by engaging in empathetic thinking. Competitive Strategy Refer to Figure 3-1 on page 83 of the textbook in uCertify, which summarizes a planning process used by many organ izations. We s tart with Porter's five force s model to analyze industry structure, and then we use the model of four competitive strategies. Next, we evaluate the value chain and then the business processes; finally, we analyze how IS can provide competitiv e advantage. Competitive strategy determines value chain structure by primary activities in the value chain, support activities in the value chain, and value chain linkages. An IS provide s competitive advantages via products and via business processes. Think back to the Falcon Security scenario presented in the textbook reading for this unit. What is Falcon Security’s competitive strategy? Falcon Security chose the differentiation strategy of using drones to provide security surveillance services to its c ustomers. Falcon Security had the proper system processes to provide these services, but other questions remained; for instance, what should they do if they cannot obtain the security contracts they need, and if they do get security contracts, do they have the systems and processes in place to handle the increase in resources needed? Summary Effective collaboration is key to success. Suppose Falcon Security expands beyond its current location. How can collaboration provide them with a competitive advantage? Let’s assume that the parent location or headquarters has a research and development (R&D) department. The R&D team is searching for ideas for improving the current security drones. How can they do this? They can collaborate with other departmen ts that may have suggestions based on customer surveys or other customer interactions. They could also hold a virtual collaboration conference with all of the Falcon Security branches and brainstorm new ideas for improving their security services. Consider another example; the R&D team developed a new drone model that can provide better and faster services than their competitors. How can Falcon Security share this news?

The answer is through collaboration. These are just a few of the many ways to use collab oration for advancing and securing competitive strategies. Figure 2 : Characteristics of egocentric thinking BBA 3551, Information Systems Management 5 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Reference Kroenke, D. M., & Boyle, R. J. (2017). Using MIS (10 th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson. Suggested Reading In order to access the following resources, click the links below. The following two articles may be helpful to you as a resource when completing this unit’s assignment. A new artificial intelligence solution has been developed to help people who are visually impaired. This technology helps people to not only experience the world more fully but also to be more productive at work. This article further explores this technology and its creation. Accenture develops new AI -powered solution to help the visually impaired. (2017). Food and Beverage Close - Up, Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://search -proquest - com.libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/docview/1926270443?accountid=33337 Learning Activities (Nong raded) Nong raded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. To test your knowledge of the material covered in this unit, c omplete the activities listed below.  Chapter 2 Active Review  Chapter 2 Using Your Knowledge  Chapter 2 Collaboration Exercise  Chapter 2 Review Questions  Chapter 2 Cards  Chapter 3 Active Review  Chapter 3 Using Your Knowledge  Chapter 3 Collaboration Exercise  Chapter 3 Review Questions  Chapter 3 Cards The activities are located within the chapter readings in uCertify. The Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 Active Review sections, Usi ng Your Knowledge sections, Collaboration Exercises , and Review Questions are located at the end of each chapter. The cards can be accessed by clicking on the Cards icon within uCertify, which is located to the right of the chapter title, and the icon in uCertify resembles the image shown below.