Analytical report based on an case study about IT project management - Essay Example

The stadium had its international recognition and with its inauguration, it was to host five matches of Euro Championship. The stadium was surrounded by many larger sports complex and along with its own spectators. The stadium could provide gigantic clients and business to restaurants and bars. In this regard Casa XXI was contracted for catering services of restaurant, bars and of special events in the Alvalade stadium for the next fifteen years. Casa XXI was the resulting company with its three partners specifically created for Alvalade Stadium Complex.

Casa XXI had immense experience of catering since decades. As per agreement Casa XXI got right to serve 9 avenues including Prestige, Corporate Club, Sports 21, Restaurant Casa XXI, Cafeteria, Cafe for employees, Lodges, Kiosks, Bars and walking sales persons. Managing and exploiting revenue from these avenues was not a piece of cake and neither Casa XXI was ready to go traditional. So, Casa XXI decided to go for a new electronic system which was an important innovation. This innovative system used pre-paid cards to pay for sales.

These pre-paid cards had a unique serial number which was to be identified by a scanner. The scanner could examine the card status and recharge money to the card. Interesting aspect was its expiration in which card could be used many times. The main objective of this system was to get rid of the traditional cash system which was more time consuming. The new innovative system could serve many customers in shorter time hence productivity was expected to be enhanced. The innovative system used a central database to save information of all cards and sales.

In this innovative system when a consumer made a payment by the card, the scanners were to track card holder’s information and money in the card. After which sale was to take place or the money could be debited accordingly. The system was further subdivided into two units. First unit was operated by the front office responsible for interacting clients while back office unit was specified for inventory management whereas information of both system was recorded on an external database. So, the expected target of this innovative system was to create a well-established electronic system of payment which could revolutionize the sales at Alvalade Stadium.

Casa XXI massively publicized their innovative system hoping for a marvellous opening. Outsourcing is a common practice is nowadays business. Outsourcing may take place due to many factors. These factors may be business, political, technical or financial. In this case, Case XXI lacks the expertise regarding IT projects and systems. It has mainly been in food and catering business and such technical skill seems to be remote in the industry it works in, With a crucial event coming up, outsourcing the new innovative project had deem to be a good decision.

Outsourcing has many advantages. Some of them include access to the required expertise easily, greater focus on core functions and risk sharing. Casa XXI have taken advantage of the mentioned advantages to great extent. It wouldn’t be easy to acquire the skill of the IT project easily and if they decided to each part of the project themselves they would no doubt have suffered in their core expertise, catering. Core failures of the system The innovative system was expected to bring stacks of productivity to Casa XXI but unfortunately the inauguration went against all anticipations and ruined