You are a new hire in the finance organization of a large retail firm. You are amazed to see the number of different software applications (apps) employed by your coworkers, who use them for...

You are a new hire in the finance organization of a large retail firm. You are amazed to see the number of different software applications (apps) employed by your coworkers, who use them for everything from maintaining personal calendars to calculating the rate of return on projects to forecasting sales and financial data. It seems that everyone has a favorite app for doing each of these tasks. For example, in the few weeks you have been here, you identified over half a dozen different apps that are being used to calculate the rate of return on projects and investments. Your coworkers download these apps from the Internet or build them using spreadsheet software. You previously worked as an intern at another large retailer that had established a corporate app store, which employees accessed to download corporate-approved apps that had been vetted and recommended for use for specific tasks. You wonder if such an approach should be implemented at your current employer.

Review Questions

1. Give an example of two tasks that an employee in the finance organization of this retail firm might perform that would have an impact restricted to their own personal sphere of influence.

2. Identify two tasks that an employee might perform that would have an impact on the workgroup and two that would have an impact on the enterprise sphere of influence

Critical Thinking Questions

1. What risks are associated with letting employees use their favorite app to perform various tasks? Are these risks associated with tasks in the personal, workgroup, or enterprise sphere of influence?

2. Can you identify some advantages and disadvantages of establishing a corporate app store?