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Introduction

Air Products Case Maryian Michail MGT781 ST Prof. Luftman ABSTRACT Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. is a mid-size company that is rooted in three different industries. They are generating income from all three industries and want to continue that upward trend. There are so many new technologies available for Air Products to use to give them competitive advantage. In order to use these new technologies, they will need to rely on their MIS group. Is the MIS group equip to provide such service? With three different industries involved, can MIS help them all? This case will emphasize how MIS can support the business and how to utilize them as a resource rather than a hindrance. 1. COMPANY BACKGROUND Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. is a global company that sells industrial gases, commodity & specialty chemicals and process equipment. Air Products has two headquarters: one in Allentown, Pennsylvania and the other in Hersham, United Kingdom. The CEO and chairman is Dexter Baker. The Executive Vice President of MIS is Bob Lovett, the Vice President of MIS is Pete Mather and the Vice President of MIS Europe is John Shepherd. Air Products employees 13,000 people in more than 150 plants worldwide. 2. AS-IS MATRIX Figure 1 outlines Air Product's As-Is for both the business and IT group. Air Products service a wide range of customers and competitors due to the three diverse industries they are involved in. Air Product is a strong competitor in all three industries as a result of their continued effort to lower manufacturing and distribution costs. They have also been able to implement a system that gives access to their engineering and database information globally. The Board of directors, stockholders and the management & organization development committee are the major governing bodies when it comes to making company wide decisions. Air Products also adhere to government agencies like the PTT in Europe who regulates telecommunications. ...read more.

Middle

He will select his HR core team to implement these tools. He will ask MIS to beachhead these new tools in order to gain technical feedback. The VP will introduce himself to the rest of the company in one of the end of quarter assembly type meetings and present the new tools, the new HR core team and describe how these new tools will benefit the company as a whole. The HR core team begins the beachhead with the MIS core team to get their feedback and recommendations. C. Air Products has too many diverse systems - Mather and Shepherd will work with the MIS core team to survey what the major issues and concerns of the systems and upgrade processes. A list of criteria of must have and wants are narrowed down by priority. A project bid is advertised for vendors to present solutions to the systems problem. Based on the criteria, the vendor that closely meets the criteria will be contracted. The European MIS architecture team will be providing the test systems that the vendor will beachhead. If the beachhead is successful, the vendor will be given a schedule of the location and the systems that need to be converted. Both the US and European MIS architecture team will be actively monitoring and assisting the vendor when problems arise. After the vendor has completed the project, they will need to provide hardware support for these systems. D. MIS needs to become a key enabler - This can be combined with recommendation-A as Mather introduces new things that are happening in MIS. Mather needs to start advertising the new MIS organization. Mather and the MIS directors need to re-evaluate their functions and responsibility that will best support the company. New MIS core groups will be established and MIS resources will be shifted by recommendation or job postings. Once the groups are established, they will need time to understand the goals and functions of their new groups. ...read more.

Conclusion

Team (who?) Sponsor: CEO Champion: New VP of HR Team: HR core team Q1'03 Select HR members to be part of the core team 3 Proof of concept Prototype HR core team manager Q2'03 Develop a system of measurement to test success of new HR tool 4 Establish Beachhead MIS core team Q3'03 MIS core team will help provide initial feedback 5 Phased deployment HR core group Q4'03 MIS core team will utilize new HR tool and work with HR core team to give suggestions. Recommendation C: Air Products has too many diverse systems Step Step Description and objectives Assigned Responsibility Target Completion Date Issues/Comments and Dependencies 1 Market recommendations Champion Q1'04 Need to list desired criteria. Need to put out project bid to select a vendor. 2 Secure: Sponsor (who?) Champion (who?) Team (who?) Sponsor: Mather Champion: Shepherd Team: outside vendor Q2'04 Need to select the vendor through criteria. 3 Proof of concept Prototype MIS Architecture team Q3'04 Come up with plan to monitor the success of the beachhead and vendor satisfaction. 4 Establish Beachhead MIS Europe architecture team Q4'04 Select systems that will be part of the beachhead and see how the vendors handle it. 5 Phased deployment Outside vendor Q1'05 Begin working with the vendor and help as problems arise. Recommendation D: MIS needs to become key enablers Step Step Description and objectives Assigned Responsibility Target Completion Date Issues/Comments and Dependencies 1 Market recommendations Champion Q1'04 Get the word out that MIS is changing its role and organization. Get other areas excited about it. 2 Secure: Sponsor (who?) Champion (who?) Team (who?) Sponsor: Lovett Champion: Mather Team: MIS new specialized teams Q1'04 Evaluate what should be MIS new core structure. 3 Proof of concept Prototype Directors of MIS Q2'04 Start putting together core functions and restructure the organization 4 Establish Beachhead All MIS staff and one BU area (Gas) Q3'04 Move into new assigned areas and begin to learn what the goals and functions of the new groups 5 Phased deployment Gases group Q1'05 Begin providing consulting services to Gas areas where needed. ?? ?? ?? ?? 28 1 ...read more.

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