Business-Centric Analysis of Corporate Mobile Applications

摘要

Information and communication technology has witnessed mobility as an important development over the last few years. However, the discussion about mobile information systems has largely been techno-centric rather than business-centric. This paper addresses the need for establishing the management rationale for mobile applications from the perspective of a corporate use. Mobile business is linked to three disciplines of required business analysis: Value chain analysis, generic business strategies and financial evaluation. Porter's value chain framework is used to identify the inherent potential of wireless applications in an operating business while the concept of generic business strategies is solicited to ensure the alignment of mobile technology choice with a firm's strategic direction and the overall IT portfolio in place. Finally, the difficult task of mobile business investment decision-making is addressed by contemporary research into the application of financial investment techniques to IT portfolio segments. A formal framework is suggested to complement the resulting practical decision-making framework for further research purposes.