Business Technology Management (BTM)

Business Technology Management, otherwise known as BTM is a key management science that helps define guiding principles for operating a successful business. With this tool, decision-making issues, regardless of level, can be unified for business, as well as technology. No matter the field or sector such as medicine, agriculture, environment, and more, utilizing Business Technology Management gives companies the “edge” needed to operate successfully against competitors.

 

The best way to describe the process associated with Business Technology Management is that it works by bridging the gap between older standards and tools by using operational and infrastructure levels of technology management to ensure a said strategy can come to fruition. In addition, with this form of management, five levels of maturity can be achieved. If you were to look at virtually any company, it would be clear that certain techniques and methodologies are used to keep the business running as seamlessly as possible. The challenge is that without a solid process in place, solutions end up being piecemeal, which creates a mess.

 

Additionally, most of the techniques and methodologies that companies use focus on integration and enablement. This means reaching a strategic “Business Technology Management” is likely impossible. Because of this, by the time that many alignment issues have been identified, it is simply too late. However, by using Business Technology Management and the associated guiding principles, a company can operate on a more organized and even improved platform.

 

Process

 

Remember, with Business Technology Management, several dimensions are addressed at once. Therefore, building blocks needed to improve overall operations can be put into place. The first dimension that makes up the BTM process includes general quality of business practice, which simply means that everyone in the organization must do things correctly and according to set guidelines. The second dimension is efficiency with the goal being to complete tasks in a timely manner while reducing, if not eliminating redundancy. Then for the third dimension, the company must be effective so that everything is done extremely well. Business today is highly competitive so any function of the operation deemed subpar would lead to failure.

 

Organization

 

It is also important to understand organization associated with Business Technology Management. The bottom line is that for the BTM process to be successful there must be organizational structures in place that have been defined and built on a firm understanding of roles and responsibilities, but also decisions that are right for the company. Although organizational structures can vary, they typically include things such as participation, centralization, and needs-based personnel.

 

For participation, this means that not only do part-time technology participants need to be involved but also senior level management. The second part, centralization, means that any specialized staff must also be involved. Then, needs-based personnel include different individuals or groups required to handle very specific issues that might arise within the company. By using BTM organizational guidelines, the company’s overall strategy has an opportunity to mature and work seamlessly.

 

Information

 

Another aspect of Business Technology Management has to do with decision-making. Unfortunately, many companies fail to make proper decisions and timely decisions, which leads to an array of problems. Therefore, it is imperative that effective decision-making be a part of the company’s operational plan. This would lead to cohesive information that relates to individuals who are non-specialists to help them understand technical issues in a non-technical way. As the old saying goes, “The right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing” creates a serious challenge for companies throughout the world. Having a valid strategy in place whereby the right information is being disseminated and related in a way that anyone could follow is a key element to success.

 

Technology

 

Of course, for Business Technology Management to work effectively, proper technology must be in place. This is not simply “technology”, but efficient processes that would connect and support all of the BTM dimensions. When technology is in place, execution of processes becomes easier, information is shared in a timelier manner, and consistency is created so that all levels of the company work as a “well-oiled machine. 

 

Technology is mandatory for full scale strategies associated with Business Technology Management within today’s company to gain and maintain the competitive edge, regardless of size or industry. Although Business Technology Management is beneficial to all businesses, it is essential to certain sectors such as medicine, agriculture, and environment.