Business IT Strategy in Action: Case Study of #PUPRU

Abstract

Predicted key business IT trends through to 2020
acknowledge there will be increased adoption of disruptive
technologies that will impact within business contexts (Gartner
(1), 2015). These include moves to small-screen marketing,
rising value of big data intelligence and increased use of social
systems. However, IT penetration and literacy gaps between
advanced and emerging economies, as well as social and
organisational issues associated with technological
implementation of business strategy, provide challenges to
adoption of these trends. Strategy As Practice (SAP) presents
a potential solution. It is concerned with the practice of
strategising, including both the formulation of strategy and
implementation that delivers strategic renewal and change.
Through the “doing of strategy”, organisations not only gain an
insight into strategic management from a theoretical level, but
also can focus on micro-level social activities, process and
practices that characterise both organisational strategy and
strategising. In this paper, the Pop-Up Research Unit
(#PUPRU), a newly-established mobile research centre in the
Salford Business School (SBS) will be discussed. It aims to
adopt a SAP approach to inform business strategy. Three
disruptive technologies - Beacon, Raspberry Pi and 3D printer
- available as part of #PUPRU will be examined. Future
experiments in various business scenarios and live projects
evaluating how these digital disrupters can be employed will
also be considered.