r support services.Information technology is an integral part of many companies day to day operations. By the 1990's, applications of IT were widespread and sophisticated enough to enable firms to compete in other innovative ways. Whereas in the past firms had to choose between a low-cost and a differentiation strategy, today IT enables firms in some industries to compete on both low cost and product differentiation simultaneously. Further, some firms are attempting to compete not only on both low cost and high quality, but also on the ability to make highly varied customized products. Referred to as "mass customization," IT is used to rapidly link processes and work groups in order to produce customized products that are exactly what a customer wants.Evans Consoles, a Calgary based manufacturing firm, is a prime example of how, and where information technology is implemented and utilized in terms of strategic advantage and strategic plans. Founded in 1980, Evans is recognized worldwide for its expertise in the design and manufacture of technical furniture, desks and computer consoles for specialized environments such as data and control centers, trading floors, command centers, computer floors and other technology-intensive work centers. Over the years, Evans has built an international reputation for reliable project management, innovative product design and superior quality through more than 2,000 high-profile installation's. Such high profile installations include customers as NASA, FedEx, EDS, AT&T, IBM, Dow Chemical, Shell, United Airlines, FAA, and Deutsche Telekom. (See photo exhibits for examples of products and installs)Evans overall corporate strategy is to provide high quality customized products at a competitive price to customers all around the world. As a part of this, IT has been implemented in order to facilitate the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.With Evans corporate divisions and processing p...
