NOTE: If you have missed more than two classes, you are asked to attend a special discussion-makeup class on December 14, 6:30-8:00, in our usual classroom.

Our visitors will be Charlie Lacefield and Ralph Reed from Dow Corning Corporation.

Read: "Dow Corning Corporation: Business Processes and Information Technology" (A) and (B), and the other materials in the casepack for this class.

1. What are the implications of the following business aspects at Dow Corning, from 1995 onward, on the role of IT and the management of the information systems function:

1. The nature of the industry and Dow Corning’s apparent business strategy
2. The organization and culture of the company
3. The current financial and litigation issues
4. The commitment to operational process change

2. Assess the IT function at Dow Corning in 1994. What did it do well? What "principles" or "maxims" would you use to describe its approach? How well was it suited for addressing the business implications (question 1.) going forward?

3. What key actions were taken in 1995 by top management and the new head of IT, Charlie Lacefield? Do these actions align with your assessment of what was needed?

4. Evaluate the implementation of Project Pride at the time of the (B) case. What risks are involved in accomplishing the full implementation of SAP and the achievement of the full scope of operational business process reengineering as intended? What recommendations regarding the project would you make based on what you know from the cases?

5. Describe the role and strategic mission of IT at Dow Corning in 1997. What changes in that would you recommend going forward? What other recommendations would you have to top management of Dow Corning regarding IT?