The Application of IT for Competitive Advantage at Keane, Inc.

Abstract

The Keane Company, founded in 1965 by John F. Keane, has grown from a local software service company into a national firm which has three operating divisions and over 45 branches throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Within these operating divisions are multitudes of consulting opportunities, ranging from supplemental staffing, project management and application outsourcing. This case will focus on Keane’s approach to Project Management and how they provide this service to their clients. This includes not only how Keane is hired for Project Management but how they train their clients on how they too can implement the Keane philosophy of Productivity Management. Instead of focusing on any one client of Keane, their overall technology strategy will be highlighted, from their early days through the present to illustrate how Keane has successfully incorporated information technology and Project Management to become a major player in the software service and consulting field. The goal of this case is to provide the student with an example of business-technology strategy in action and allow them to explore future paths that Keane may take based on how they use technology today and in the decade to come. Several discussion questions are included which focus on Keane’s IT strategies and their implementation. These questions can be used to stimulate class discussion or given as written assignments to be handed in.