Merryll Lynch Connects Past and Future Technology

Question 1.
One of the main reasons Merryll Lynch needed to update its IT infrastructure was to remain competitive. The company wanted their clients to be able to have access to their accounts and portfolios on the Internet. To provide this service was key to staying competitive.

Question 2.
Information technology is one of the most important components of Merryl Lynch's operations and strategy. The company's extraordinary growth was largely due to its information technology advances. Again, Merryl Lynch considered IT upgrade as a way to be competitive and stay ahead of the game.

Question 4.
On the one hand, I don't think selling off their IT initiatives was a good idea because it could give the company's competitors a choice to copy and duplicate it. In my opinion, the company's IT may be considered one of its core competencies, and you never want to share your core competencies with your competitors. However, apparently, it turned out to be a pretty good deal for Merryl Lynch because it tremendously increased IT budget that can be used for further IT developments and enhancements.