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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface xiii

Chapter 1 Managers: Key to Information Technology Results 1


The E-Borders Program 1
Why Managers Must Provide Leadership for Information Technology (IT) 1
Why Managers Must Understand IT 3
What Is Information Technology? 4
Personal IT 5
Group IT 6
Enterprise IT 7
The Role of Managers Vis-À-Vis IT 11
Identifying Appropriate IT Opportunities 12
Smooth Introduction and Adoption of IT 13
Ensuring That IT Risks Are Mitigated 18
What if Managers Do Not Participate in IT Projects? 19
Overview of Remaining Text 20
Key Terms 23
Chapter Summary 23
Discussion Questions 24
Action Needed 24
Web-Based Case 25
Case Study 25
Notes 28

Chapter 2 Strategic Planning 31


Apple’s Innovative Business Strategy 31
Why Managers Must Understand the Relationship Between Strategic Planning and IT 33
Strategic Planning 33
Analyze Situation 35
Set Direction 37
Define Strategies 41
Deploy Plan 42
Setting the IT Organizational Strategy 43
Identifying IT Projects and Initiatives 45
Prioritizing IT Projects and Initiatives 46
Effective Strategic Planning: Chevron 47
Background 47
Situation Analysis 48
Set Direction 51
Define Strategies 52
Deploy Plan 52
Key Terms 57
Chapter Summary 57
Discussion Questions 57
Action Needed 58
Web-Based Case 59
Case Study 59
Notes 59

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viii Table of Contents

Chapter 3 Project Management 61


The BBC Digital Media Initiative 61
Why Managers Must Understand Project Management 63
What Is a Project? 64
Project Variables 64
What Is Project Management? 69
Project Management Knowledge Areas 69
Scope Management 70
Time Management 71
Cost Management 72
Quality Management 75
Human Resource Management 76
Communications Management 78
Risk Management 80
Procurement Management 83
Project Integration Management 85
Key Terms 87
Chapter Summary 87
Discussion Questions 88
Action Needed 89
Web-Based Case 89
Case Study 90
Notes 92

Chapter 4 Business Process and IT Outsourcing 95


Salesforce.com and Its Cloud-Based Success 95
Why Managers Must Understand Outsourcing 97
What Are Outsourcing and Offshore Outsourcing? 98
Why Do Organizations Outsource? 99
Issues Associated with Outsourcing 102
IT Outsourcing 105
Public Cloud Computing 105
Virtualization 108
Autonomic Computing 108
Private Cloud Computing 109
Hybrid Cloud Computing 109
Planning an Effective Outsourcing Process 109
Establish a “Smart” Outsourcing Strategy 111
Evaluate and Select Appropriate Activities and Projects for Outsourcing 111
Evaluate and Select Appropriate Service Providers 112
Evaluate Service Provider Locations 113
Benchmark Existing Service Levels 114
Define the Service-Level Agreement 115
Develop an Outsourcing Contract 116
Establish an Outsourcing Governance Process 116
Measure and Evaluate Results 117
Key Terms 119
Chapter Summary 119
Discussion Questions 120
Action Needed 121
Web-Based Case 121
Case Study 122
Notes 125

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Table of Contents ix

Chapter 5 Corporate and IT Governance 129


Credit and Debit Card Theft 129
Why Managers Must Get Involved in IT Governance 129
What Is IT Governance? 131
Ensuring That an Organization Achieves Good Value from Its Investments in IT 133
Mitigating IT-Related Risks 134
Why Managers Must Understand IT Governance 137
IT Governance Frameworks 137
IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) 139
Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) 140
Using PDCA and an IT Governance Framework 142
Business Continuity Planning 144
Process for Developing a Disaster Recovery Plan 148
Key Terms 153
Chapter Summary 153
Discussion Questions 154
Action Needed 154
Web-Based Case 155
Case Study 155
Notes 158

Chapter 6 Collaboration Tools 161


Eagle Investment Employs Unified Communications 161
Why Managers Must Understand Collaboration Tools 164
Collaboration Tools 164
Electronic Bulletin Boards 164
Blogs 165
Calendaring Software 168
Desktop Sharing 168
Instant Messaging (IM) 169
Podcasts 170
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) 171
Shared Workspace 171
Online Project Management 171
Web Conferencing, Webinars, and Webcasts 172
Wikis 175
Presence Information 176
Unified Communications (UC) 176
Key Terms 179
Chapter Summary 179
Discussion Questions 180
Action Needed 180
Web-Based Case 181
Case Study 181
Notes 183

Chapter 7 E-commerce 185


Alibaba Opening the Door to the Largest Domestic Retail Market in the World 185
Why Managers Must Understand E-Commerce 187
Forms of E-Commerce 189
Business-to-Business (B2B) E-Commerce 189
Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-Commerce 192
Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) E-Commerce 194
E-Government Commerce 194
Mobile Commerce 196

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x Table of Contents

E-Commerce Critical Success Factors 198


Identifying Appropriate E-Commerce Opportunities 198
Acquiring Necessary Organizational Capabilities 198
Directing Potential Customers to Your Site 200
Providing a Good Customer Online Experience 201
Providing an Incentive for Customers to Purchase and Return in the Future 201
Providing Timely, Efficient Order Fulfillment 202
Offering a Variety of Easy and Secure Payment Methods 203
Handling Returns Smoothly and Efficiently 205
Providing Effective Customer Service 205
Advantages of E-Commerce 206
Issues Associated with E-Commerce 207
Customers Fear That Their Personal Data May Be Stolen or Used Inappropriately 207
Cultural and Linguistic Obstacles 208
Difficulty Integrating Web and Non-Web Sales and Inventory Data 208
Key Terms 210
Chapter Summary 210
Discussion Questions 211
Action Needed 212
Web-Based Case 212
Case Study 213
Notes 215

Chapter 8 Enterprise Systems 219


Coca-Cola: Global Reach Through Local Distribution 219
What Is an Enterprise System? 222
Enterprise Resource Planning 222
Benefits of Using an ERP System 225
Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III ERP Vendors 228
ERP Customization 229
Supply Chain Management (SCM) 230
Customer Relationship Management 232
Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) 236
Avoiding Enterprise Systems Failures 240
Hosted Software Model for Enterprise Software 241
Key Terms 244
Chapter Summary 244
Discussion Questions 245
Action Needed 246
Web-Based Case 246
Case Study 247
Notes 249

Chapter 9 Business Intelligence and Big Data 253


Amazon: Beating the In-Store Advantage with Business Intelligence 253
What Is Business Intelligence? 255
Data Warehouse/Data Marts 256
Big Data 258
Structured and Unstructured Data 259
Business Intelligence Tools 263
Spreadsheets 264
Reporting and Querying Tools 265
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) 265
Drill-Down Analysis 266

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Table of Contents xi

Data Mining 267


Dashboards 268
Data Governance 269
Challenges of Big Data 272
Key Terms 275
Chapter Summary 275
Discussion Questions 276
Action Needed 277
Web-Based Case 277
Case Study 278
Notes 281

Chapter 10 Knowledge Management 285


How Knowledge Management Is Helping Nelnet Service Student Loans 285
What Is Knowledge Management (KM)? 287
Knowledge Management Applications and Associated Benefits 289
Best Practices for Selling and Implementing a KM Project 290
Technologies That Support KM 292
Communities of Practice 293
Social Network Analysis (SNA) 293
Web 2.0 Technologies 295
Business Rules Management Systems 295
Enterprise Search Software 297
Key Terms 300
Chapter Summary 300
Discussion Questions 301
Action Needed 302
Web-Based Case 302
Case Study 302
Notes 305

Chapter 11 Cybercrime and IT Security 307


Health Data Cybertheft: The Plunder of Anthem 307
Why Managers Must Understand IT Security 309
Why Computer Incidents Are So Prevalent 309
Types of Exploits 313
Federal Laws for Prosecuting Computer Attacks 324
Implementing Trustworthy Computing 325
Risk Assessment 326
Establishing a Security Policy 327
Educating Employees and Contract Workers 329
Prevention 329
Detection 333
Response 333
Key Terms 339
Chapter Summary 339
Discussion Questions 340
Action Needed 341
Web-Based Case 342
Case Study 342
Notes 345

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xii Table of Contents

Chapter 12 Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues of Information Technology 349


Artificial Intelligence: Robots on the Rise 349
What Is Ethics? 352
The Difference Between Morals, Ethics, and Laws 352
Including Ethical Considerations in Decision Making 353
Privacy 355
Data Brokers 360
Treating Customer Data Responsibly 360
Workplace Monitoring 362
Social Networking and Privacy 364
Internet Censorship 367
Internet Access 368
The Digital Divide 369
E-Rate Program 370
Net Neutrality 370
Internet of Things 371
Key Terms 376
Chapter Summary 376
Discussion Questions 378
Action Needed 378
Web-Based Case 379
Case Study 379
Notes 382

Glossary 387
Index 401

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PREFACE

Why This Text?


The undergraduate capstone course on information technology and the MBA level infor-
mation technology course required of College of Business graduates are two of the most
challenging courses in the business curriculum to teach. Students in both courses often
start the term skeptical of the value of such a course. Indeed, “Why do I need to take this
course?” is frequently their attitude. Unfortunately, this attitude is only perpetuated by
most texts, which take the approach of “Here is a lot of technical stuff you have to
understand.” As a result, students complete the course without getting as much from it as
they could. The instructors of such courses are disappointed, receive poor student eva-
luations, and wonder what went wrong. An opportunity to deliver an outstanding and
meaningful course has been missed.
Information Technology for Managers, 2nd edition, takes a fundamentally different
approach to this subject in three ways. First, it is targeted squarely at future managers,
making it clear why IT does indeed matter to them and the organization. Second, it
enables future business managers to understand how information technology can be
applied to improve the organization. Third, it provides a framework for business managers
to understand their important role vis-à-vis information technology. Said another way,
Information Technology for Managers, 2nd edition, answers three basic questions—Why
do I need to understand IT? What good is IT? What is my role in delivering results
through the use of IT?

Approach of This Text


Information Technology for Managers, 2nd edition, is intended for future managers who
are expected to understand the implications of IT, identify and evaluate potential oppor-
tunities to employ IT, and take an active role in ensuring the successful use of IT within
the organization. Thoroughly updated, the text is also valuable for future IT managers who
must understand how IT is viewed from the business perspective and how to work effec-
tively with all members of the organization to achieve IT results.

Organization and Coverage in the 2nd Edition


Chapter 1: Managers: Key to Information Technology Results presents a clear rationale
for why managers must get involved in information technology strategic planning and
project implementation. The chapter helps managers identify what they must do to
advance the effective use of IT within their organizations, and it helps them understand
how to get involved with IT at the appropriate times and on the appropriate issues, as
demonstrated by new examples from Walmart, Avon, Ellie Mae, and more.
Chapter 2: Strategic Planning describes how to develop effective strategic planning by
defining key business objectives and goals, which are used to identify a portfolio of

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xiv Preface

potential business projects that are clearly aligned with business needs, as illustrated by
the new opening vignette featuring Apple, Inc. Further refinement is required to narrow
the portfolio to the projects that should be executed and for which sufficient resources are
available. This process is illustrated by the example of Chevron, a major global organiza-
tion respected for its highly effective use of IT to support business objectives.
Chapter 3: Project Management provides a helpful overview of the project manage-
ment process. The presentation is consistent with the Project Management Institute’s
Body of Knowledge, an American National Standard. The chapter describes the nine proj-
ect management knowledge areas of scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, commu-
nications, risk, procurement, and integration. This chapter identifies the many roles a
business manager might take throughout the project life cycle, including champion, spon-
sor, project manager, subject matter expert, project team member, and end user, whether
in private enterprise, such as Vermont Health Connect, or government facilities, such as
the National Audit Office of the United Kingdom or the Russian Olympic committee.
Chapter 4: Business Process and IT Outsourcing discusses the major business rea-
sons for outsourcing as well as many of its potential pitfalls. It also outlines and describes
an effective process for selecting an outsourcing firm and successfully transitioning work
to the new organization. The chapter provides a thorough discussion of cloud computing
as an example of IT outsourcing. Using current examples from Supervalu, Amazon, and
others, the chapter covers the importance of establishing service-level agreements and
monitoring performance.
Chapter 5: Corporate and IT Governance describes the responsibilities and practices
that a company’s executive management uses to ensure delivery of real value from IT and
to ensure that related risks are managed appropriately, all brought to life with real-world
examples from Home Depot, Target, and Michaels. The chapter covers two frameworks for
meeting these objectives: the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Control Objectives for
Information and Related Technology (COBIT). The discussion includes related issues such
as mitigating IT-related risks, use of the PDCA model to improve IT governance, and
business continuity planning.
Chapter 6: Collaboration Tools identifies and discusses the variety of collaboration
tools that managers can use to improve communications and enhance productivity, such as
blogs, Webinars, and wikis. It also discusses the benefits and some of the issues that can arise
from their use, as demonstrated by the opening vignette about Eagle Investment Systems.
Chapter 7: E-Commerce discusses the use of electronic business methods to buy and
sell goods and services, interact with customers, and collaborate with business partners
and government agencies. Several forms of e-business are covered, including business-to-
business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), consumer-to-consumer (C2C), and
e-government commerce. The chapter also covers m-commerce, an approach to conduct-
ing e-commerce in a wireless environment. The chapter prepares managers to understand
and deal with many of the business, legal, and ethical issues associated with e-business,
and contemporary examples like Alibaba and Amazon reinforce the international reach of
e-commerce.
Chapter 8: Enterprise Systems discusses enterprise planning, customer relationship,
and product life cycle management systems used to ensure that business transactions are
processed efficiently and accurately and that the resulting information can be accessed by
end users and managers in all business areas. Including references to Coca-Cola, IBM, and

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Preface xv

others, it identifies several of the benefits associated with enterprise system implementa-
tion, outlines measures to take to avoid enterprise system failures, and describes the
hosted software model for enterprise software. The chapter also explains the key role that
business managers play in successfully implementing enterprise systems.
Chapter 9: Business Intelligence and Big Data discusses a wide range of applications
that help businesses gather and analyze data to improve decision making at organizations
like Amazon and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, including spreadsheets,
reporting and querying tools, online analytical processing, drill-down analysis, data min-
ing, and dashboards. The chapter also covers many big data topics, including structured
and unstructured data, ACID properties, NoSQL Databases, Hadoop, in-memory data-
bases, and data governance. The challenges associated with business intelligence systems
and big data are also discussed as well as the role of the business manager in developing
and using these systems.
Chapter 10: Knowledge Management describes explicit and tacit information and
how organizations like NASA and Nelnet use knowledge management to identify, select,
organize, and disseminate that information. In this chapter, you will learn about techni-
ques for capturing tacit knowledge, communities of practice, social network analysis,
Web 2.0 technologies, business rules management systems, and enterprise search. The
chapter also covers how to identify and overcome knowledge management challenges, and
it includes a set of best practices for selling and implementing a knowledge management
project.
Chapter 11: Cybercrime and IT Security discusses commonly occurring computer-
related security incidents (using recent examples from Anthem and Sony), describes why
computer incidents are so prevalent, identifies various perpetrators of computer crime,
offers a computer security self-assessment test, describes types of exploits, outlines vari-
ous federal laws for prosecuting computer attackers, and describes how to implement
trustworthy computing, including specific tasks to prevent, detect, and respond to com-
puter security incidents.
Chapter 12: Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues of Information Technology provides a
brief overview of ethics and how to include ethical considerations in decision making. A
variety of topics related to privacy, freedom of expression versus censorship, and Internet
access—all based on current situations from Verizon, Zendesk, and more—are discussed
from the perspective of what managers need to know about these topics.

Chapter Features
Opening Vignette: Business majors and MBA students often have difficulty appreciating
why they need to comprehend IT or what their role (if any) is vis-à-vis IT. In recognition
of this, each chapter begins with an opening vignette that raises many of the issues that
will be covered in the chapter. The vignette touches on these topics in such a way as to
provide a strong incentive to the student to read further in order to gain clarity regarding
the potential impact of IT on the business as well as management’s responsibility in rela-
tion to IT.
Learning Objectives: A set of learning objectives follows the opening vignette and
provides a preview of the major themes to be covered in the chapter.
Real-World Examples: In an effort to maintain the interest and motivation of the
reader, each chapter includes numerous real-world examples of business managers

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
xvi Preface

struggling with the issues covered in the chapter—some successfully, some unsuccessfully.
The goal is to help readers understand the manager’s role in relation to information tech-
nology and to discover key learnings they can apply within their organizations.
What Would You Do: This special feature presents realistic scenarios that encourage
students to think critically about the concepts presented in the chapter. There are three
of these features placed appropriately in each chapter to cause the reader to reflect on the
topics just covered.
A Manager’s Checklist: Each chapter contains a valuable set of guidelines for future
business managers to consider as they weigh IT-related topics, including how they might
use IT in the future within their organization.
Chapter Summary: Each chapter includes a helpful summary that highlights the
managerial implications and key technical issues of the material presented.
Discussion Questions: A set of thought-provoking questions to stimulate a deeper
understanding of the topics covered in the chapter.
Action Needed: Each chapter includes three mini-cases requiring a decision or
response from the reader. These mini-cases provide realistic scenarios and test the stu-
dent’s knowledge, insight, and problem-solving capability.
Web-Based Case: Each chapter includes an “open-ended” case that requires students
to gather their own research information and do some critical thinking to address the
questions raised in the case.
Case Study: Each chapter ends with a challenging real-world case of managers strug-
gling with the issues covered in the chapter. These cases are unique because they look at
IT from a manager’s perspective, not from an IT technologist’s point of view.

INSTRUCTOR RESOURCES
The teaching tools that accompany this text offer many options for enhancing a course.
As always, we are committed to providing one of the best teaching resource packages
available in this market.

Instructor’s Manual
An Instructor’s Manual provides valuable chapter overviews, chapter learning objectives,
teaching tips, quick quizzes, class discussion topics, additional projects, additional
resources, and key terms. It also includes solutions to all end-of-chapter discussion ques-
tions, exercises, and case studies.

Test Bank and Test Generator


Cognero® is a powerful objective-based test generator that enables instructors to create
paper-, LAN- or Web-based tests from test banks designed specifically for their Course
Technology text.

PowerPoint Presentations
A set of Microsoft PowerPoint slides is available for each chapter. These slides are
included to serve as a teaching aid for classroom presentation. The presentations help

Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Preface xvii

students focus on the main topics of each chapter, take better notes, and prepare for
examinations. The slides are fully customizable. Instructors can either add their own
slides for additional topics they introduce to the class or delete slides they won’t be
covering.

CourseMate
Engaging and affordable, the new Information Technology for Managers CourseMate Web
site offers a dynamic way to bring course concepts to life with interactive learning, study,
and exam preparation tools that support this printed edition of the text. Watch student
comprehension soar with flash cards, games, and quizzes that help them prepare for
exams. A complete e-book provides you with the choice of an entire online learning
experience. Information Technology for Managers CourseMate goes beyond the book to
deliver what students need.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I want to thank all of the folks at Cengage Learning for their role in bringing this text
to market. I offer many thanks to Mary Pat Shaffer, my wonderful development editor,
who deserves special recognition for her tireless efforts and encouragement. Thanks also
to the many people who worked behind the scenes to bring this effort to fruition, includ-
ing Joe Sabatino, product director and Jason Guyler, product manager. Special thanks to
Jennifer King, the content development manager, and Anne Merrill, the content developer,
for coordinating the efforts of the team of many people involved in this project and for
keeping things moving forward.
I especially want to thank Naomi Friedman, who wrote the opening vignettes and end-
of-chapter cases.
Last, but not least, I want to thank my wife, Ginnie, for her patience and support in
this major project.

TO MY REVIEWERS
I greatly appreciate the following reviewers for their perceptive feedback on this text:
Larry Booth, Clayton State University
Nicole Brainard, Principal, Archbishop Alter High School, Dayton, Ohio
Ralph Brueggemann, University of Cincinnati
Rochelle A. Cadogan, Viterbo University
Wm. Arthur Conklin, University of Houston
Barbara Hewitt, Texas A&M University, Kingsville
William Hochstettler, Franklin University
Jerry Isaacs, Carroll College
Marcos Sivitanides, Texas State University
Gladys Swindler, Fort Hays State University
Jonathan Whitaker, University of Richmond

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
xviii Preface

MY COMMITMENT
I welcome your input and feedback. If you have any questions or comments regarding
Information Technology for Managers, 2nd edition, please contact me through Course
Technology at www.cengage.com or through your local representative.
George W. Reynolds

Copyright 2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
CHAPTER 1 MANAGERS: KEY TO
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY RESULTS

PROVIDING LEADERSHIP
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they
don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”
—Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady of the United States

THE E-BORDERS PROGRAM

Why Managers Must Provide Leadership for Information Technology (IT)


In late August 2014, the British government raised the terror threat level for the United Kingdom to

four—or “severe.” According to the government, at least 500 British citizens had recently left the

United Kingdom and traveled to Syria or Iraq to join the Islamic fundamentalist militant group ISIL

(also known as ISIS and the Islamic State), which had conquered large swaths of territory in the

Middle East. The government suspected that many of those citizens were being trained to return to

the United Kingdom to carry out terrorist attacks. The British government’s chief defense strategy

against this threat lay in border control—preventing U.K. citizens from flying out of the country to

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Chapter 1

join ISIL, canceling the citizenship of those U.K. residents who were already fighting for ISIL, and
2

apprehending ISIL trainees returning to the United Kingdom.

In 2003, anticipating the need for tighter border control, the British government launched

the e-Borders project. The main objective of the program was to collect information about all

scheduled inbound and outbound passengers in advance of travel. This data would then be

used to prevent passengers considered a threat from entering or leaving the country, arrest ter-

rorist and organized crime suspects, and improve passenger clearance times. In March 2014,

the government canceled the project at a cost of £224 million ($350 million) to British

taxpayers. An evaluation of the e-Borders program in 2013 had determined that while the IT

system supporting the program had been effectively deployed at London’s Heathrow Airport,

the system had failed in the maritime and rail sectors. The effective elements of the e-Borders

system were subsequently merged into the new Border Systems Programme with the hope that

the capabilities of this system would be expanded.

Many factors contributed to the failure of the e-Borders program to fulfill all its initial goals.

A British court eventually determined that the responsibility for the failure lay primarily with the U.K.

Border Agency and not the vendor Raytheon. Specifically, the U.K. Border Agency did not establish

appropriate benchmarks to track the project’s progress, and it did not engage competent subject

matter experts during the procurement of resources. Finally, the agency did not define and stabilize

requirements, resulting in changing goals and an underestimation of the complexity of the project.

Bottom line, there was a failure of management to provide strong leadership for the effort.

The e-Borders project did, however, enjoy some success. The police were able to locate and

arrest thousands of wanted individuals identified by the system. Unfortunately, one evaluation

reported that the e-Borders program was collecting a mere 65 percent of data on incoming and

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Managers: Key to Information Technology Results

outgoing passengers in advance of their travel. The ability of the new Border Systems Programme
3

to extend the collection and analysis of this data will be critical as the United Kingdom faces future

threats posed by ISIL and other terrorist and criminal organizations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

As you read this chapter, ask yourself:


Why must managers understand critical principles of IT system development and
provide leadership for these projects?
Am I prepared to get involved with IT at the appropriate times and on appropriate
issues?

This chapter provides a working definition of information technology, discusses the


essential role of managers in ensuring good results from various types of IT systems,
and warns of the dire consequences that can follow when managers fail to meet these
responsibilities. But first we will answer the question—why should managers under-
stand IT?

WHY MANAGERS MUST UNDERSTAND IT


Why learn about information technology? Isn’t this area of the business best left to the IT
professionals, and not managers? The answer is a simple, emphatic No. This section pro-
vides several reasons why managers must understand IT and why they must lead the
effort to decide what IT to invest in and how to use it most effectively.
New IT business opportunities, as well as competitive threats, are coming at a faster
and faster rate. Managers play a key role—they must frame these opportunities and
threats so others can understand them, prioritize them in order of importance, and eval-
uate proposed solutions. Finally, managers must lead the effort to define IT strategies and
policies that best meet organizational needs.
Even if two different companies invest in the same IT systems from the same
vendors, the organizations will not necessarily end up with identical solutions or use
the systems in the same ways. As a result, one firm may profit greatly from an IT
deployment while another struggles with unsatisfactory results. Managers, working in
conjunction with IT specialists, must make many decisions when implementing a new IT
solution, including how broad the project will be in scope, what data to capture, how
databases and applications should be tailored, what information will flow from the
systems and to whom, and, most importantly, how people will use the system to make
a difference.

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Chapter 1

True productivity improvements seldom come simply from automating work pro-
4
cesses. Real gains in productivity require innovations to business practices and then
automating these improved processes to take advantage of IT capabilities. Companies that
merely insert IT into their operations without making changes that exploit the new IT
capabilities will not capture significant benefits. Managers are the key to ensuring that IT
innovations pay off; they must lead a holistic approach that includes encouraging the
acceptance of change, addressing changes in business processes and organizational struc-
ture, establishing new employee roles and expectations, and creating new measurement
and reward systems.
To gain a sustainable competitive advantage, companies must consistently
deliver increasing value to customers. Doing so requires essential information gained
through the effective use of IT that better defines customers and their needs. This
information can help companies improve products and develop better customer ser-
vice, leading to sustained increases in revenue and profits. Managers must recognize
the value of this information, know how to communicate their needs for it, and be
able to work with IT staff to build effective IT systems that make useful information
available.
In a rapidly changing global business environment, managers require lifelong learning
and flexibility in determining their business roles and career opportunities. Given the
widespread use of IT, managers must be able to understand how technology affects their
industry and the world at large.

WHAT IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY?


Information technology (IT) includes all tools that capture, store, process, exchange,
and use information. The field of IT includes computer hardware, such as mainframe
computers, servers, desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones; software, such as
operating systems and applications for performing various functions; networks and
related equipment, such as modems, routers, and switches; and databases for storing
important data.
An organization’s defined set of IT hardware, software, and networks is called its IT
infrastructure. An organization also requires a staff of people called its IT organization to
plan, implement, operate, and support IT. In many firms, some or all IT support may be
outsourced to another firm.
An organization’s IT infrastructure must be integrated with employees and proce-
dures to build, operate, and support information systems that enable a firm to meet
fundamental objectives, such as increasing revenue, reducing costs, improving decision
making, enhancing customer relationships, and speeding up its products’ time to
market.
Most organizations have a number of different information systems. When considering
the role of business managers in working with IT, it is useful to divide information systems
into three types: personal IT, group IT, and enterprise IT. Figure 1-1 shows the relation-
ship among IT support staff, IT infrastructure, and the various types of information sys-
tems. These systems are explained in the following sections.

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Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.
Managers: Key to Information Technology Results

© Cengage Learning
FIGURE 1-1 IT infrastructure supports personal, group, and enterprise information systems

Personal IT
Personal IT includes information systems that improve the productivity of individual users
in performing stand-alone tasks. Examples include personal productivity software such as
word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet software; decision support systems, and
online learning systems.
A decision support system (DSS) employs analytic models to help users gain
insights into a problem situation, examine alternative solutions, and recommend an
appropriate course of action. For example, VisualDx is a clinical decision support sys-
tem that provides instant access to concise disease information and high-quality medi-
cal images. Its database encompasses more than 1300 medical conditions and nearly
30,000 images. Physicians can search this database by symptoms, visual clues, and
other patient factors to diagnose diseases and develop treatment plans. The system can
be downloaded as an app that runs on a smartphone or it can be accessed via desktop
computer or laptop.1
Online learning systems encompass a number of computer-enhanced learning tech-
niques, including computer-based simulations, multimedia DVDs, Web-based learning
materials, hypermedia, podcasts, and Webcasts. Such use of information systems quali-
fies as an example of personal IT. With the rapid changes in today’s business environ-
ment, managers and employees must be continual learners to keep pace. For example,

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Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
the east, while their main body moved to the south-west to attack the
front that had been invitingly left open. The Anzac Light Horse,
withdrawing slowly and skilfully, and now fighting on foot, led them
on until they were involved among the sandhills, and at noon the
cavalry and R.H.A. from Dueidar closed in from the south-west. The
attacks on Katib Gannit, held by the 52nd, had now been repulsed
with heavy loss by the Lowlanders, and it was at this stage that
Major-General Chauvel, commanding the Anzacs, asked that the
127th Brigade might be sent with all speed to help “mop up” the
Turk, who so far had been fighting stoutly as usual.
To return to the 127th Brigade. The three battalions had set off
immediately the order was received, the 5th and 7th Manchesters
leading. Heavy though the going was under the pitiless desert sun,
they arrived upon the scene sooner than the Anzac commander had
thought possible. As they drew near they could see the Turkish
shrapnel bursting above the Anzacs, who, now that reinforcements
were at hand, regained their horses and began to mass for a charge
or pursuit. At about 2000 yards from the enemy position the leading
battalions extended into lines, the 7th on the left, the 5th on the right.
But the Turk did not wait. Worn out as he was by the marching and
fighting of the past few days, the sight of the new British troops
moving steadily towards him, line after line in regular waves, shook
his faith in the assurance of victory. As the Manchesters attacked the
ridge of Mount Royston the Battle of Romani was over. Those Turks
who doubted their ability to get away in safety held up their white
sandbags in token of surrender, seven officers and 335 men, with
many horses, mules, rifles, and much ammunition falling into the
hands of the Brigade. The Anzac cavalry accounted for the rest of
the Turkish force at Mount Royston, having swept round the hill and
cut off the retreat. Hundreds of Turks were seen being rounded up
and marched back by a handful of troopers.
It was a great and decisive victory, in which, though the 42nd
Division had played only a minor part, their share had been most
opportune. The 127th Brigade had entered at exactly the right
moment, and their march across three miles of deep, loose sand,
under a blazing sun, in the hottest season, coming into action within
one hour thirty-three minutes of receiving the order at Pelusium, was
a noteworthy performance, which richly merited the following letter
from the G.O.C., Anzac Mounted Division—

Romani, 18. 8. 16.


Major-General Sir Wm. Douglas, K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O.
Commanding 42nd Division.
“My dear General,
“Just a line to ask you to be kind enough to express my
thanks to Brig.-General Ormsby and the 127th Brigade for the
prompt manner in which my request for support was complied
with on the afternoon of the 4th inst., in spite of the heat and
the soft sand-dunes the men had to march over.
“I understand the Brigade moved within three minutes of
getting the order from you, and I found them actually in
position at least an hour before I expected them.
“Yours very sincerely,
“H. G. Chauvel,
Major-General.”

The Turk had been decisively beaten, and on August 4 the


menace to the Canal had passed, and it was now our turn to take the
offensive. That evening plans were made to follow up the success by
a forward move which, though slow and wearisome at first, and
discouraging in its second stage, finally developed into the brilliant
campaign in Palestine and Syria under Allenby, with its amazing
succession of shattering victories.
The Manchesters rested after their toilsome march as best they
could, with little food and water, until 3.30 a.m., when they stood to,
awaiting the order to advance. It was, perhaps, fortunate that this
was delayed in transmission as, while they waited, a string of camels
laden with fanatis was sighted. There was no food, but the omission
passed unheeded in the delight of obtaining water, though the supply
was only enough to allow three-quarters of a bottle to each man.
This small ration had to be husbanded carefully, for it might have to
last them the whole or the greater part of the day.
By 7 a.m. on the 5th the 127th Brigade was on March to Katia,
the move. During the night the enemy had retired August 5-6, 1916
to Hod-el-Enna, where he was holding a line
northward toward Katib Gannit. The 42nd Division was ordered to
advance and envelop the Turkish left flank in conjunction with the
mounted troops, the Anzac Mounted Division operating on their left,
and the 5th Mounted Brigade on the right, linking up with the 3rd
Australian Light Horse. The 125th Brigade, which had arrived at
Pelusium on the previous evening, had made an early start in the
small hours of the morning, and was now on the left, the 127th
Brigade being on the right, and the 126th Brigade in Corps Reserve
at Pelusium. The heat, especially in the valleys, was stifling, and
many men were sunstruck or completely prostrated by the heat.
Souvenirs picked up earlier in the day—Turkish bayonets, swords,
belts—were quickly discarded. The heavy, yielding sand greatly
hindered the horse-drawn guns of the 212th Brigade, R.F.A., and for
the same reason the cable wagons could not keep up, the teams
being utterly exhausted. The Divisional Squadron reached Mount
Royston at noon, after patrolling the railway line throughout the
previous night, and they too had to halt for a time, the horses being
badly in need of rest, food and water. In the evening the squadron
arrived at Hod-es-Seifania, together with a hundred troopers of the
Bikanir Camel Corps. The infantry gained their objectives, and on the
ridge of higher ground saw the cavalry pursuing the Turks and our
guns flinging shrapnel among them. Out at sea, a monitor, looking
like a toy boat, could be seen bombarding the enemy positions—first
a flash, then after a long interval the roar of the great gun, then an
ear-splitting explosion among the fleeing Turks. The Division now
held the line Hod-el-Enna to Mount Meredith, and cavalry patrols
reported that the enemy rearguard was holding the line Bir-el-Rabah
—Katia—Bir-el-Mamluk. The 125th Brigade on the left and the 127th
on the right rested for the night on Mount Meredith and Mount
Royston, and the number of Turkish dead lying on these hills
showed how heavy had been the casualties. The evening was cool
—in fact, the night was even chilly after the extreme heat of the day.
There was little to eat or drink. The news came that Katia was to be
taken next day, that the enemy was holding the oasis basin strongly,
and that the march to Katia would be more exacting even than those
of the past two days. The prospect was not alluring, for there was no
sign of water to replenish the empty bottles, many of the native
transport drivers having been stampeded by enemy shell fire. The
prospect of an advance across the desert without food or water was
far more alarming than the Turk, however strong might be his
position and his numbers. Thirsty, hungry, and exhausted the men of
the two brigades scooped hollows in the sand and snatched a few
hours sleep.
At 3 a.m. on August 6 the infantry with the 1st Sufferings of the
and 3rd Field Companies, R.E., were preparing to Manchesters,
move, each man wondering if he would be able to Aug. 6, 1916
hold out, when a beatific vision of distant fantasse-laden camels was
hailed with rapture. The pestiferous oont is an ungainly beast, with
disgusting manners and a vile temper, but there are moments when
one could almost wish that he would allow himself to be caressed,
and this was one of such occasions. Though the allowance of water
was disappointingly small, there being barely a pint per head, still it
made all the difference to the spirit of the troops. The start was made
at 4 a.m., the 42nd Division on the right, the 52nd on the left, with
cavalry on both flanks. Viewed from a ridge, the advance on Katia
was picturesque. The plain was covered with long lines of infantry,
mounted troops on the flanks, batteries of field-guns with traction-
engine wheels hauled through the sand by huge teams of horses.
Far away to the rear came endless strings of grunting, bubbling
camels, and miles in front, a tantalizing sight, lay the green oases
that brought to mind the desert pictures of childhood. The prediction
that the march would be more exhausting than any yet attempted
proved only too true, and officers who had been through the worst of
the Gallipoli campaign, and at a later date had eighteen months’
experience of trench and open warfare in Flanders and France,
declare that they have known nothing to surpass in horror the
sufferings of the 127th Brigade on the 6th of August, 1916. The
125th Brigade, moving by a more direct route, reached the shade of
the Katia oases in the forenoon, and found that the Turk had not
awaited their coming. But while the Fusiliers rested there, the
Manchesters were still trudging wearily through the soft sand, every
step seeming to sink deeper and deeper, until it needed not only
physical strength but also will-power to drag one’s legs along. In the
depressions between the ridges there was not a breath of air. The
sun grew more and more malignant, and the men became more and
more dejected and taciturn. Hundreds collapsed from sunstroke, or
because every ounce of energy they had possessed had been
expended. The instructions to husband the meagre allowance of
water had been explicit, and every one knew that the bottles could
not be replenished until Katia should be reached. It was forbidden to
drink without first obtaining the permission of the platoon or unit
commander, and the best results were obtained where the officers
insisted firmly on exact obedience to this order. The men behaved
splendidly, and even when their powers of endurance seemed to
have reached the limit, they forced themselves heavily and listlessly
onward, stedfastly resisting the ever-increasing temptation to drink.
A regimental Medical Officer described their appearance as “that of
men being gradually suffocated, their faces turning a dusky blue;
they were panting for breath and falling unconscious on the track. All
that could be done was to try to collect them in groups and place
their heads under any low scrub that could be found.” At one spot
the torture was most cruelly augmented by an unfulfilled hope of
relief. The sight of great quantities of attractive fruit, outwardly
resembling oranges, was hailed with hoarse cries of delight. The
“oranges” were seized upon ravenously, and in a few cases bitten
into—and thrown away with curses. It was that most bitter of fruits,
calumba—bitter as the disappointment it had caused, for the
prospect of allaying the agonizing thirst intensified the anguish. Then
it was that the officers, who were in no better case than their men but
were upheld by their sense of responsibility, silently blessed him
whom they had so often found occasion to curse, the “funny man” of
the platoon or company. Luckily these men are to be found in every
British unit, and when things are at their worst they extract humour
from hardship until even the most despondent begin to feel less
depressed.
KATIA.
KATIA. BIVOUACS.

CAMEL CARRYING WATER TANKS.


CAMELS CARRYING FANATIS WAITING AT THE WATER POINT.

ROMANI. WATER TRUCKS ON THE BROAD-GAUGE RAILWAY.

ROMANI. EAST LANCASHIRE ARTILLERY.

As they struggled gamely on General Douglas rode from company


to company to cheer them with the news that more than 3000
prisoners and a vast quantity of material had already been captured,
and to show the men that their commander recognized the strain to
which they were being subjected, and appreciated the gallant
response they were making. About midday an oasis, a mile from
Katia, was sighted, and men staggered on towards the trees and the
hoped-for water. But there was no sign of water. Rumour quickly
passed from man to man that water lay within two feet of the surface;
and distressing scenes were witnessed of men half mad with thirst
desperately digging into the sand with entrenching tools and even
bare hands in a vain attempt to find water. Fortunately the camels
arrived an hour later bringing an allowance of a pint for each man,
and undoubtedly this saved many lives.
Refreshed by the water and a lie down in the shade, parties of
volunteers went forth into the hateful desert again, in spite of their
great fatigue, to seek out and bring in those who had fallen by the
way. Through the night desultory rifle fire in front told that the cavalry
were still in touch with the Turkish rearguard, who had put up a good
fight at Oghratina, and managed to get away most of their guns and
transport, though followed and harassed by the R.H.A. and cavalry
as far as Salmana. Complete victory had crowned the operations, as
the following figures show—

Enemy’s strength 18,000


Enemy’s losses 3,930 (prisoners)
1,251 (killed and buried)
4,000 (wounded)
Total losses 9,181

The captured material included a complete Krupp Mountain


Battery with 400 rounds of ammunition, 9 German machine guns
with 32 extra barrels, 30 boxes of belt ammunition, and 9 shields,
2300 rifles, 1,000,000 rounds Small Arm Ammunition, large numbers
of pack saddles, sandbags, clothing, equipment, rockets, barbed
wire, stretchers, tools, swords, etc.; one aeroplane engine and 3
petrol tanks, 100 mules and horses and 500 camels.
The following telegram was received from H.M. the King—

“Please convey to all ranks engaged in the Battle of


Romani my appreciation of the efforts which have brought
about the brilliant success they have won at the height of the
hot season and in desert country.”

Katia, which was bombed daily, was occupied until the 14th
August, on which date the Divisional Headquarters and the units that
had taken part in the operation moved back to Romani and Pelusium
to engage in very arduous training, and to put the finishing touches
to the new equipment after the extremely severe test that had been
undergone. The units were distributed as follows on the evening of
the 15th August—

Pelusium:
Divisional Headquarters.
Signal Company.
Headquarters, R.E.
Divisional Squadron, D.L.O.Y.
126th Infantry Brigade.
A Battery, 211th Brigade, R.F.A.
2nd Field Company, R.E.
2nd Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.
Attached—100 Bikanir Camel Corps.
Romani:
C Battery, 210th Brigade, R.F.A.
A Battery, 212th Brigade, R.F.A.
1st and 3rd Field Companies, R.E.
125th and 127th Infantry Brigades.
1st and 3rd Field Ambulances, R.A.M.C.

The remainder of the Artillery and Divisional Ammunition Column


were at Kantara and Ballah.
Reference has been made to the arrival of the Camels and other
camels on the night before the march of the 127th “Pets”
Brigade to Mount Royston. The Ship of the Desert
henceforward played so important a part in the operations of the
Mobile Column that gratitude demands a few words of appreciation.
A hundred, more or less, with from thirty to forty native attendants,
were apportioned to each battalion, and the troops by now would
have been unimpressed if a squadron of elephants had been
dumped upon them. The camels and their satellites were placed in
charge of the odd-job subaltern, the sergeant surplus to Company
strength, and the few simple men who would volunteer to trudge
alongside a grunting, grumbling, snapping mass of vermin and vile
odours, and listen to its unpleasant internal remarks, while gazing
upon its patchy hide and drooping, snuffling lips. British soldiers are
notoriously fond of animals, and will try to make a friend of anything
with four legs, or even with none,[8] and no doubt some of these
volunteers had visions of their sloppy, shambling charges eagerly
responding to affection, answering to a pet name, and turning soft
eyes of devotion upon the beloved master while he fondled it. If so,
they were quickly disillusioned, and soon they became prematurely
aged men, bitterly regretting the impulse that had led them to
volunteer. The native gentlemen had apparently been chosen for
their knowledge of the English language—some could even count up
to four in that tongue!—their gambling propensities, their detestation
and ignorance of camels, and their appearance of abject misery. By
the camp fire, at the end of the day’s march, they became more
cheerful as they compared thefts, smoked vile cigarettes, and
babbled of the riotous time they would have in Cairo when they
returned with their accumulated wealth. They were handy men,
however, and the Lancashire lad regarded them with kindly
tolerance, touched with the wondering pity he extends to all who
have never watched Manchester United play Bolton Wanderers.
On the coast, two or three miles to the north of Romani, lies the
hamlet of Mahamadiyeh, which sprang into fame as the most
popular seaside resort in Africa, the battalions, with the exception of
those of the 126th Brigade guarding the railhead, being sent there in
turn for rest, recuperation, and sea-bathing. Further advance
eastward by the Division was impracticable until the railway and pipe
line had been pushed farther ahead, the present limit being a few
miles beyond Romani. Meanwhile, a position was sited east of
Oghratina to cover the extension of the railway, and this was
reached by the Division, less the 125th Brigade, 1st Field Company,
R.E., eight batteries, R.F.A., and the 1st Field Ambulance, on
September 11. A prospecting party of Engineers had located
considerable supplies of water, and the few trial wells were rapidly
increased to forty-three, supplying 9000 gallons an hour. The water
was slightly brackish, but was drunk by horses and camels. Water for
the men was supplied to units at the railhead tanks. The 125th
Brigade had been moved to section defences, the 5th Lancashire
Fusiliers to Kantara, the 6th to Dueidar, the 7th to Hill 40, and the 8th
to Ballybunion. A few weeks later the Brigade was reunited at
Mahamadiyeh, where D.H.Q. was established.
For more than two months the Division shared with the 52nd
Division and the mounted troops the duty of protecting the railway
and water-pipe from raiders, the troops occupying a succession of
forward positions along the coastal road in advance of and covering
the railway, each Division returning to Romani when relieved by the
other. To pack up, load the camels, and move off to a fresh bivouac
quickly became second nature. Steadily the railway was pushed
forward towards El Arish, and alongside it a road was constructed,
the sand being conquered at last by the ingenious device of wire
rabbit-netting laid and pegged down. In this way the fatigue of
marching was much reduced. The large main through which a daily
supply of 40,000 gallons was pumped from the Sweet Water Canal
through filters to Romani, was carried forward by the Engineers, who
also erected reservoir tanks at the railhead. This supply was barely
sufficient for the men, and none of it could be spared for the animals,
so exploring parties of sappers went ahead to sink innumerable wells
and erect signboards giving a rough estimate of the supply per half
hour and the degree of salinity. They also prepared maps of a region
that had hitherto been practically unmapped. It was an engineer’s
war, and the amount of work done by them in the face of difficulties
that had been considered insuperable was indeed amazing.
The health of the troops had suffered greatly by the prolonged
strain under a tropical sun, and a number of men had been sent into
hospital with dysentery. There had also been a few cases of cholera,
presumably contracted from Turkish prisoners and camping grounds.
A number of men, pronounced medically unfit for the arduous duties
of the Mobile Column, were formed into a composite battalion and
stationed at Kantara, where they were engaged upon guard duties
and training. In October a much-appreciated scheme of rest and
holiday cure was recommended by the medical authorities. Parties of
officers and men were sent to Alexandria for a week’s real relaxation,
and during this week they were practically free to do as they liked. It
was a novel military departure, as there was neither work nor duty
for officers or men. The change of surroundings, the freedom, and
the sea-bathing worked wonders. The coming once more into touch
with civilization had in itself a good effect; health quickly improved,
and with the cooler weather a complete change for the better was
experienced.
In October, Major-General Lawrence, having returned to England,
from the 23rd of the month until the arrival of Lieut.-General Sir Philip
Chetwode early in December, Major-General Sir William Douglas
was given temporary command of the Desert Column, the name by
which the Mobile Force was now known, Brig.-General Frith
assuming command of the Division. As Brig.-General King had been
appointed C.R.A. of the Desert Column, the command of the
Divisional Artillery was taken over by Brig.-General F. W. H. Walshe,
D.S.O., who had been in command of the artillery attached to the
Anzacs.
The mounted troops, co-operating with bodies of The Advance to
infantry from one or other of the two Divisions, kept El Arish
in touch with the enemy, and pressed him farther
and farther to the east as the work of construction went forward. The
railway reached Bir-el-Abd, nearly thirty miles east of Romani and
more than fifty from the Canal, then to Salmana, then Tilul, and in
November the railhead was at El Mazar, about eighty miles east of
the Canal. Engagements took place at Bir-el-Abd and at El Mazar,
the latter forcing the enemy to withdraw upon El Arish, their base
and the most important town in Sinai. As each stage of railway and
water-main construction was completed the main bodies of the 42nd
and 52nd Divisions also advanced a stage. Viewed from a distance,
the slow-moving column seemed to have strayed into the scene from
out of the twentieth century B.C., as the long line of laden camels
wended their deliberate way along interminable stretches of bare
sand, or across salt lakes of dazzling whiteness, or through
undulating scrub country which raised fleeting hopes that the desert
had been left behind. Turkish aircraft continued to harass the
advance, but the bombing was rarely effective, and even the natives
of the Egyptian Labour Corps grew accustomed to the raids, and no
longer bolted like rabbits for cover when a plane was sighted. Due
acknowledgment must be rendered to these Gyppies, who worked
with admirable rapidity and cheerfulness, each gang being in charge
of a native ganger whose badges of authority were two stripes and a
stick which was freely used. While working they invariably chanted,
the ganger acting as fugleman, and the heavier the work the louder
the chanting. When they were not chanting they were not working. It
was at times fortunate that the soldiers did not understand the words
chanted. The English soldiers soon took up the idea, and when
collective effort was required, it was done to the accompaniment of
some extraordinary singing. Towards the end of November the 42nd
Division occupied El Mazar, only twenty-five miles from El Arish, and
the railway was already pushed on to El Maadan, about ten miles
further east, where an important railhead was constructed and
arrangements made for the storage of a large water supply to be fed
by railway tanks. Three or four times a week every man had for
breakfast a 1 lb. loaf baked in Kantara on the previous afternoon.
On December 20 a concentration of all available troops was
effected at El Maadan. There were at least 30,000 men, including
natives, and 18,000 camels, marching in parallel columns as far as
the eye could reach. A rapid forward move and a surprise attack
upon the Turkish positions covering El Arish had been planned, and
the prospect of celebrating the close of the year 1916, and the
completion of the hundred-mile stage of the conquest of the desert,
by a good stand-up fight was looked forward to with exhilaration,
except by the pessimists who freely betted that there would be no
fight. In the small hours of the morning of December 21 the company
commanders received orders to prepare to march—but, alas! back to
El Mazar, not forward to El Arish, for the bird had flown and the stunt
was a “washout.” Brig.-General Walshe had gone out in an
aeroplane to reconnoitre the position for artillery purposes, and as no
sign of the enemy could be seen the pilot brought the machine down
until they skimmed along the top of the palm-trees, and made sure
that the Turk had cleared out. The disappointment was intense. El
Arish was occupied by the mounted troops and the 52nd Division,
while the 42nd gloomily marched back to Mazar. In the words of the
order: “The Turks having fled, the Division was no longer required to
fight them.”
They were not downcast, however, for any length of time. A
remark of the Divisional Commander, as he commiserated with his
men on having missed the promised “scrap,” gave rise to rumours
and much discussion of the Division’s prospects. “Never mind, lads,”
he had said, “you’ll get as much as you want very soon.” Could it
mean France, Salonika, India, Mesopotamia? Perhaps, even an
advance through Palestine—though this was scouted as too wild a
notion. But Christmas was at hand, and hopes and chagrin were laid
aside for the moment, as men’s thoughts were wholly occupied with
visions of Christmas festivities. Anticipations were fully realized; the
mail and parcels from home arrived at the right time, and the
Christmas of 1916 was thoroughly enjoyed. The rest of the stay at El
Mazar was not. The Turk had been stationed here in force and had
bequeathed a legacy of lice of abnormal size and ferocity, which
swelled the fighting strength of the Division to many times its normal
number. A delousing apparatus was brought up by train, and the
men conceded that it was not wholly ineffective—in assisting the
young lice to attain maturity more speedily, and in whetting their
appetites. There was also an alarming development of septic sores,
probably due to the filthy sand.
Meanwhile the mounted troops had been busy. On Christmas Eve
they had struck suddenly at Maghdaba, a dozen miles to the south of
El Arish, and had destroyed the garrison there, and, later, had made
a brilliant lightning raid on Rafa, about thirty miles to the east, on the
border of Sinai and Palestine. The enemy, taken completely by
surprise, surrendered after putting up a good fight.
In the middle of January 1917, the 42nd Division marched by
stages to El Arish, halting for a few days at El Bitia en route. This
place furnished a welcome change from the ordinary desert scenery
—palm groves, flat stretches of firm sand peculiarly adapted for
football, a roaring sea close at hand, and a fine beach for bathing. El
Arish was reached on the 22nd, and this was the furthest point east
attained by the Division, though the Engineers, with a Company of
the 8th Lancashire Fusiliers, spent a few days at El Burj, ten miles
beyond. At El Arish wells were sunk at the edge of the beach where,
to every one’s surprise, excellent water was found in abundance only
twenty yards from the sea. A very bad sandstorm was experienced
here, and there were periodical but ineffective bombing raids by
aircraft. Before the end of the month the Division, less the squadron
D.L.O.Y., was ordered back to the Canal, their destination being
Moascar, near Ismailia.

BIR EL GERERAT. BIVOUACS.


A “HOD” OR OASIS OF DATE PALMS.

TURKISH LINES AT MASAID.


EL ARISH.

EL ARISH.

The heavy sand through which the guns had The Work
been hauled and the difficulties of the water supply Accomplished
for the horses had provided a hard test of the
endurance and skill of the Divisional Artillery, and it is greatly to the
credit of the batteries that they had overcome all obstacles. Men and
horses had become accustomed to desert trekking, and at the end of
a day’s march the bivouacs were prepared, the horses watered, and
everything running as smoothly as under peace-time conditions. On
Christmas Day the batteries had (on paper) been formed into six-gun
batteries, but the scheme was not actually put into operation until the
Division had returned to the Canal zone.
As in Gallipoli, the Divisional Signal Company had been kept
continuously at work and had displayed energy and efficiency
beyond praise. Every task that had been set them—and their name
was legion!—had been done well. The Supply details of the A.S.C.
had accompanied the Division during the six months’ operations in
the desert, and it may safely be said that no Division was better
maintained in the matter of supply. The R.A.M.C. had formed mobile
sections in each Field Ambulance, and two of these with camel
convoy had accompanied each infantry brigade, and had shared
their experiences. In spite of the heat and the shortage of water the
desert life had on the whole proved healthy.
The magnitude of the work accomplished in the desert may be
estimated by the following figures—

Railways 360 miles


Pipe lines 300 ”
Roads 220 ”
Timber Hurdles 800 ”
Timber for hutting 2,000,000 square feet
Wire netting 50,000 rolls
Barbed wire 7,000 tons
Cement 2,000 tons
Sandbags used 30,000,000

The defence of the Suez Canal had now been made secure. The
revolt against Ottoman rule in the Hedjaz had broken out, and the
Turk was in no mood for further adventurous enterprise.
Henceforward he would confine his energies to defensive
operations, and would ask nothing more than to hold his own.
The infantry entrained for Kantara, en route for Moascar, during
the first days of February, and though the hundred-mile railway
journey was far from luxurious the troops were glad enough to be
spared the weary march back to “th’ Cut.” They had watched the

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