MBA in Information Technology Business Management is a fairly new specialisation that trains management professionals for IT business and its varied functional departments. The two-year MBA programme is designed to build management skills and bolster IT proficiencies that are needed to create leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs in the IT product and services realm.
The course offers specialisations that enable students for a prosperous career in the most sought after areas in the information technology domain. So let’s take a look at the various job roles one can look forward to in the industry after an MBA in Information Technology Business Management.
Information Risk Management
Over the past decade, organisations have expanded their IT infrastructure in the form of servers, databases, applications, network enablement, and more. Industry 4.0 has added more hardware, software, and network components to this complex infrastructure. While the addition of more sophisticated IT systems has led to higher productivity and profits, it has also increased the security risks associated with them.
Professionals within the Information Risk Management role are responsible for planning, executing, and managing multi-faceted projects related to risk management, mitigation, response, compliance, control assurance, and user awareness. They are also accountable for developing and driving security strategies and policies, assuring the effectiveness of solutions, and providing security centred services to organizations.
To ensure that an organisation’s infrastructure and information assets are protected, these professionals select and implement the right tools for surveillance, perform security assessments and security attestations. Apart from sound technical knowledge, they must also possess strong analytical communication and consulting skills.
Information Security Audit
Security breaches such as data theft, unauthorised access to company resources and malware all have the potential to affect a business’ ability to operate and could be fatal for the organisation. Information security auditors conduct audits to identify vulnerabilities and flaws within the internal system of an organisation.
If they find flaws, they must provide a detailed report to the management. These reports outline if a system is running efficiently and effectively. Information security auditors also need to suggest and make the required changes to strengthen the integrity of a system.
Since determining the overall health and integrity of a corporate network is the main objective of such audits, professionals must have strong IT knowledge. Apart from that, they must also be team players because these in-depth audits are carried out by a team of individuals.
Software Architects
Software architects are responsible for designing and developing software systems and applications tailored to client’s or organisation’s specific needs. They may need to create software that can range from desktop applications to games. Software architects make high-level decisions concerning the process, design, technical standards, platforms, and coding standards.
They are required to collaborate with other professionals to ensure the software meets all requirements concerning quality and security. Moreover, they are also responsible for overseeing the progress of the development team to ensure consistency with the laid out plans. They are usually also required to provide technical guidance and coaching to developers and engineers.
Process Analyst
Process analysts identify areas for improvement in performance and process and make strategies that will allow them to stay competitive in the market. Their job involves meeting with stakeholders to determine an organisation’s goals, gathering and analysing data and process mapping, and creating reports based around recommendations. This is a wide-ranging job role, and you will be immersed in a variety of different projects. Process analysts generally work closely with the IT department and business teams to design a new process and solve other problems pertaining to an existing process.
Apart from having an understanding of technology, they must also possess management skills. Since they need to identify a problem and then arrive at the right solution, they must be analytical, strategic, and critical thinkers.
Business Analyst
Organisations use data to support their decision-making process and build data-driven products or services. Data science professionals are skilled at mining the right data from the large volumes of raw information that is available. Data science professionals are expected to be data-savvy and have the right technical skills to succeed in the world of big data and business analytics.
A Business Analyst’s primary responsibility is to help an enterprise implement cost-effective technology solutions based on the requirements of a project or programme. They are also responsible for evaluating business processes and uncovering areas of improvement by leading regular reviews. They work closely with clients, stakeholders, and senior management.
Individuals with an MBA in Information Technology Business Management (ITBM) can also head positions in areas such as:
- Software Solution Developement
- IT Sales and Marketing
- Identity and Access Management
- IT Advisory Services
- Data Analytics
- Quality Management
- Network Solution and Design
- Infrastructure Project Management, among others.
The IT and ITeS business in India has risen to US$ 181 billion in 2018-19 and assures enormous scope for those with an MBA (ITBM). For those looking for a dynamic and fast-paced career, this degree is a fitting choice.
Authored by Dr. Dhanya Pramod, director, Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology.