Man is information freak. Even as our early ancestors swung from tree branch to tree branch, they already exchanged information through grunts and gestures. Then, wanting more information from the world they lived in, they ventured to go down and started walking upright. Along the way, they learned how to form words, making their exchange of information more understandable and precise.
Not only that, they “saved” this information by carving them into rocks, drawing them on cave walls, etching them on tree leaves, barks and every conceivable medium they can think of. .
Ever since, man has never stopped seeking for information, lots of it. He recorded them, organized them, and filed them for easy and fast retrieval for future needs. Now we have information stored in ways unthinkable before.
Thus evolved information management.
What is information management?
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources, and its distribution to one or more audiences, i.e. those with stake in or right to that information.
To be useful, its distribution, processing and delivery must be organized and controlled.
As the world becomes more complicated and decisions need to be made fast, information management became more and more crucial to man’s daily life.
Evolution of Information Technology or Information Management:
In 1936, the first programmable computer, those lumbering giants with the memory of an infant, came into the scene. Then in the 70s, it evolved into something that can sit on an office desk.
To be more useful and effective work tools, these personal computers, as they are now called, were made to “talk” to each other, making information available to anyone with an office computer – even those who have no operational need for them
This created information chaos and abuse in its use. To rationalize its distribution, new management frontier emerged – management of information technology.
MBA on Information Technology :
There was a time when only technology managers and capitalists need to understand how technology and information can be utilized for business success.
The advent of the Internet changed that. Now, businesses around the globe, in every sector, not only need to effectively manage technology and information, they must also wed these with good business management.
This evolution became the seed for the introduction of MBA in Information Technology, MBA in IT, for short, in business school curricula.
MBA in IT focuses on the understanding of how technology works, as well as general management principles and the broader aspect of business operations. It emphasizes the strategic value of information and the technology that underpins them.
An MBA in IT grad enhances business competitiveness by leveraging information and assess its impact on business; interacts with executive management as a strategic business partner.
He also explores the most efficient ways of managing business functions such as organizational effectiveness, projects, logistics, finance, materials and product mix through the use of technology.
What is the advancement path of MBA in IT?
At the very lest, and MBA in IT can expect to be the CIO (Chief Information Officer) of the company.
What makes this position interesting is that, more often than not, it reports to the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) – that’s one step closer to the top.
Provided you are damn good in what you do, which is not only confined to keeping the servers running and business programs flawlessly functioning, but of identifying strategic opportunities of the information within the company and its environments.
Top 5 b schools in MBA in Information Technology:
The top picks of the best MBA schools in theU.S. specializing in Information technology are (About.com):
1. MIT Sloan:
Its world-renowned program is a balance of theory and real-world applications. It is top heavy with case studies, lectures, team projects, industry interactions and hands-on lab work to teach the students the skills they need to succeed.
2. Tepper (Carnegie Mellon)
Consistently ranked among the top b schools in the world, its MBA IT program place heavy emphasis on information technology as a general management tool.
3. McCombs (University of Texas at Austin):
This is another U.S. b school that consistently ranks among the best in the world for their well-rounded curriculum and their outstanding MBA IT faculty.
4. Stanford University
Stanford U’s MBA IT program focuses on the four key components of general management, i.e., leadership, entrepreneurship, global awareness and social innovation.
5. Haas (University of California at Berkeley):
Another U.S. b school considered one of the most esteemed universities in the world. Its MBA IT program is based upon three factors: innovation, global excellence and community interaction.
Information has always been a coveted item in man’s daily existence. From the time he wakes in the morning till he puts himself to bed at night, he needs information to make decisions.
Man gathered it relentlessly, stole, it, bribed for it, died for it. Wars have been lost or won from its scarcity or abundance. The cloak-and-dagger world exists precisely for the need to have more and more information. As we walk towards the unforeseeable future, we need accurate and reliable information to guide us. Without it, we will definitely stumble and fall into an abyss from which we could come out of.