The importance of strategic planning and explain the role of the IT steering committee

by | Feb 18, 2025 | Analysis

 

 

Discuss the importance of strategic planning and explain the role of the IT steering committee

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Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Strategic planning is absolutely vital for any organization, especially in today’s rapidly changing world. It’s the process of defining an organization’s direction, making decisions about allocating its resources to pursue that direction, and developing strategies to achieve its goals. Without a solid strategic plan, an organization risks drifting aimlessly, reacting to immediate pressures rather than proactively shaping its future.

Here’s why strategic planning is so important:

  • Provides Direction: It establishes a clear vision and mission, giving everyone in the organization a shared understanding of what they’re working towards. This clarity of purpose is essential for alignment and motivation.

Strategic planning is absolutely vital for any organization, especially in today’s rapidly changing world. It’s the process of defining an organization’s direction, making decisions about allocating its resources to pursue that direction, and developing strategies to achieve its goals. Without a solid strategic plan, an organization risks drifting aimlessly, reacting to immediate pressures rather than proactively shaping its future.

Here’s why strategic planning is so important:

  • Provides Direction: It establishes a clear vision and mission, giving everyone in the organization a shared understanding of what they’re working towards. This clarity of purpose is essential for alignment and motivation.
  • Focuses Efforts: It helps prioritize activities and allocate resources effectively. By focusing on strategic goals, organizations avoid wasting time and money on initiatives that don’t contribute to the overall vision.
  • Facilitates Proactive Behavior: It encourages organizations to anticipate and prepare for future challenges and opportunities, rather than simply reacting to them. This proactive approach is essential for long-term success.
  • Improves Performance: Studies have shown a strong correlation between strategic planning and organizational performance. Organizations that engage in strategic planning are more likely to achieve their goals and outperform their competitors.
  • Enhances Communication: The strategic planning process fosters communication and collaboration among different departments and levels of the organization. This shared understanding of the organization’s goals helps break down silos and improves teamwork.
  • Increases Efficiency: By clarifying priorities and allocating resources effectively, strategic planning helps organizations operate more efficiently and avoid duplication of effort.
  • Provides a Framework for Decision-Making: It provides a framework for making informed decisions, even in uncertain or rapidly changing environments. Decisions are evaluated based on how well they contribute to the strategic goals.

The Role of the IT Steering Committee

The IT steering committee plays a crucial role in aligning IT strategy with the overall organizational strategy. It acts as a bridge between the business side and the IT department, ensuring that IT investments and initiatives support the organization’s strategic goals. Here are some key responsibilities of an IT steering committee:

  • IT Strategy Alignment: The committee ensures that the IT strategy is aligned with the overall business strategy. They review and approve the IT strategic plan, making sure it supports the organization’s mission and goals.
  • Prioritization of IT Projects: The committee prioritizes IT projects based on their strategic importance and available resources. They make decisions about which projects to fund and when to implement them.
  • Resource Allocation: The committee oversees the allocation of IT resources, including budget, personnel, and equipment. They ensure that these resources are used effectively to support the organization’s IT needs.
  • Risk Management: The committee identifies and assesses IT risks, and develops strategies to mitigate those risks. They ensure that the organization’s IT systems are secure and reliable.
  • Performance Monitoring: The committee monitors the performance of IT initiatives, ensuring that they are delivering the expected benefits and meeting the organization’s needs. They track key metrics and make adjustments as needed.
  • Communication: The committee acts as a communication channel between the IT department and the business side, ensuring that both sides are informed about IT initiatives and their impact on the organization. They communicate the value of IT investments to senior management.
  • Policy Development: The committee develops and approves IT policies and procedures, ensuring that IT systems are used in a consistent and secure manner.
  • Vendor Management: The committee may oversee relationships with key IT vendors, negotiating contracts and ensuring that vendors are meeting the organization’s needs.

In essence, the IT steering committee provides governance and oversight for IT activities, ensuring that IT is used strategically to support the organization’s overall goals and objectives. It’s a crucial component of effective strategic planning and IT management.

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