Implementation of Ict-based Strategy by East African Portland Cement Company Limited

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the manner in which East African Portland Cement Company Limited (EAPCC) has gone about implementing an ICT based strategy. Also included in the purpose of the project is the challenges and constraints experienced in carrying out this implementation. The study was guided by the various definitions of strategy by various scholars, strategy gurus and other researchers. Also how different an ICT based strategy would be defined and implemented. The study adopted the case study approach in the research design. The population of the study included at least six top managers or supervisors at EAPCC. This was as defined by the current organization chart. A questionnaire approach was used to collect the data through the drop and pick- layer method. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. The study discovered that the method of implementing an ICT based strategy was broken down into phases with different sections assigned to different departments and sections with the ICT department being the main driver of the whole process. The main positive drivers for the successful implementation process were the support of the management for the ICT based strategy initiatives and the use of competent external consultants and skilled IT engineers who were recently recruited to boost the efforts towards the ICT based strategy. There were however some bottlenecks in the implementation process e.g. lack of adequate communication of the strategy throughout the business. As a result of this, there wasn’t as much buy in from the lower level staff who the ICT strategy sought to improve. The study recommends that senior management reduce the level of bureaucracy in the organization to fasten and lubricate operations in the organization. There is a need for training senior and middle level management to cope with the complexities strategy implementation and how to better deal with the diverse cultures in the organization.