To Make or to Buy? Sourcing Decisions at the Zurich Cantonal Bank

摘要

The case study describes the IT situation at Zurich Cantonal Bank around the turn of the millennium. Incapable to fulfill the company's strategic goals, it is shown how the legacy systems force the company into the decision to modify or to replace the old systems with standard software packages: to make or to buy? The case study introduces the bank's strategic goals and their importance for the three make or buy alternatives. All solutions are described in detail; however, the bank's decision is left open for students to decide. For a thorough analysis of the situation, the student is required to put himself in the position of the key decision maker at Zurich Cantonal Bank, calculating risks and balancing advantages and disadvantages of each solution. Six video interviews reveal further technical and interpersonal aspects of the decision-making process at the bank, as well as of the situation today.