SCIT Case Analysis

MBA – Systems (2009 – 11)

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Abhirup Banerjee (9030241401)

Amitesh Rai (9030241402)

Amit Sengar (9030241403)

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Abstract

The paper strives to come up with an effective study and research of Symbiosis
Center for Information Technology (SCIT), Premier IT Business School. The paper will try
to come up with answers to the strategy deployed by SCIT and how appropriate and
successful they are. The document will derive the strategic analyses based on the
existing structure, strategic positioning of SCIT, SWOT analysis and justification for the
strategies in place for the next five years. The sources have been basically derived
from the SCIT website and my personal knowledge of my own college.

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SCIT Case Analysis

SCIT is a premier IT Business School nurturing genuine IT talent. Prospective

students are nurtured to take up key positions in technology or business related to IT
industry. The institute supports their metamorphosis with innovative teaching-learning
methodology, state-of-the-art computer labs and resources and overall professional
development plans to become industry-ready IT professionals.3

Present Industry Structure for SCIT

SCIT also, as per the Industry framework, offers the two year full time MBA for
fresher’s and work-experience candidates. Recently it has also started with the
Executive program catering to the working professionals. There has been a shift in the
way SCIT offers its courses. Previously it had been offering courses on five different
streams – IT Business Management, Systems, Networks and IT Infrastructure,
Information Systems & Security and Software Solutions and Management. The current
program offers MBA in IT Business Management with several key electives for the
students to choose from.

Architects The interface

delivering SW between Business
solutions with Process Users and
MBA - Software Solution
business acumen
ITBM Providers

Manage, design and Understand risk

implement reliable and designs
and secure network security
solutions solutions for
organizations

Figure 1 - SCIT courses

Again its physical location is also an added advantage to SCIT, due to the fact
that it is situated in the Hinjewad,i IT Park, home to hundreds of IT companies. The

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location would let SCIT stay in the middle of the action and would also let them pull up
working professionals interested in pursuing MBA. Pune as a whole is considered to be
the Oxford of India and as such the abundant Bachelor degree colleges offering IT /
Computer Science also give SCIT a boost.1

Present Strategic Positioning of SCIT

As SCIT proudly proclaims, it is a premier IT business school. It is the only
business school in India which specifically caters to the IT industry. Strategic
positioning means performing different activities from rivals’ or performing similar
activities in different ways. SCIT has steered clear from the other business schools by
harnessing the IT capabilities along with business.2

Apart from the traditional Systems course, it also offers courses in the niche
areas like – IT Infrastructure Management, Information Security Management, Software
Solutions Management. Surprisingly this strategic positioning of SCIT has been yet left
un-challenged by the other institutes in Indian education sector. At its inception, it had
been a smart way of entering new water by Symbiosis as there had been an increasing
number of institutes coming up with the Finance, Marketing, HR offerings. SCIT has
built up on the strategic advantage and has continuously strived to add value to its
offerings to move up the value chain.

Now where in India, can any organization find a better offering when it thinks
about Business and IT offered under a single umbrella. Students are provided with
adequate domain specialties with each semester offering particular domain like BFSI,
Manufacturing, Retail, etc. Also Enterprise Management skill sets are offered in
combination with Quality (ISO, CMMI, Six Sigma, TQM, Kaizen) Project Management
(FPA, COCOMO, PMBOK). These enable the students to gain a holistic view of the IT
industry and empower them to easily align themselves.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Present Strategic Positioning of SCIT

Strengths
Unique Specialization (NITI, ISS, SSM)
No Competition from other business
schools
Booming global IT industry provides
more avenues for SCIT
Strong focus on IT and its advantages to
business
Understand the value that can be
derived from IT
Strategic implementation and alignment
Weakness
Focus may shift to Technology rather
than business
Difficult to manage Business and
Technology at the same time
Lack of industry awareness may lead to
profile mismatch
Smaller target group of students who are
keen on pursuing a career in IT
Limited career opportunities for students

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of IT to business
Flexible structure enables students to
adapt to the ever changing technology
and their needs
Interactions with industry experts to gain
better understanding of the changing IT
landscape

Proposed Strategic Positioning for SCIT

The following strategies can be considered by SCIT for better strategic positioning:

1) Industry tie-ups to launch new courses or training programs designed specifically to meet new
demands

2) Student exchange programs with foreign universities

3) Tie-up with foreign universities to promote collaboration and exchange of ideas

4) Promote entrepreneurship and other key programs

5) Tap into alumni network for better positioning of SCIT in the market

6) Increase channels to communicate with future students

7) Expansion and Extension programs

Justification for the proposed positioning and the possibility of

continuity of proposed strategy for next 5 years
The foremost advantage of SCIT is the absence of any business school which can
call itself as an IT Business school. The absence of rivalry makes the job easier for SCIT
to retain its pull amongst the students and companies. However, one can not eliminate
the threat of new market entries or change in the offerings of other business schools.1

Now the key driving factor for SCIT is its’ students. Industry tie-up programs,
foreign university collaboration and student exchange programs goes a long way in
boosting the confidence of the students interested in joining SCIT. For this SCIT needs
to look into new innovative ways to communicating with the prospective students.
Facebook, PagalGuy, Business magazines, websites, events gives the students
opportunities to gain an insight into the college. Coffee with ISB and SP Jain programs
were a great hit amongst the prospective students which again SCIT can look forward
to.

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The alumni are the brand ambassadors of any college. SCIT should tap into the
vast network of alumni and strive to create a long lasting relationship with the alumni
and garner their support to improve the college and promote it as well.

Last but not the least, efforts should be undertaken to continuously improve the
course structure as per the rapidly changing needs and demands of the IT industry. Old
courses should be removed and made way for the upcoming ones like Cloud
Computing, Virtualization, Web 2.0. Executive programs should also be boosted to tap
into the rapidly increasing demand for MBA by the working professionals.

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Reference
1. Porter, M. E. (2008). The Five competitve forces that shape strategy. Harvard
Business Review , 79-93.

2. Porter, M. E. (1996). What is Strategy. Harvard Business Review , 61-78.

3. SCIT. (n.d.). About SCIT, Courses Offered. Retrieved November 29, 2010, from
SCIT: http://www.scit.edu

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