苏宁科技：从业务后台到行业赋能

This case focuses on IT reform at Suning, a traditional retail giant, the role of technology in its smart retail strategy, and how its IT department gradually evolved into an independent group. Suning's IT reform mainly comprises four stages: the initial construction, the centralized IT backend system, the open system in the internet era, and Suning cloud in the era of smart retail. During the reform, Suning's IT department grew from an affiliate of the finance department to an independent group in 2018, with 12,000 employees and a large amount of digital assets. Suning's smart retail strategy applied technology to all aspects of its strategy implementation, including internet-based scenarios, intelligent supply chain, membership management and internal efficiency improvements. Suning constantly improved its technological strength to exceeded internal needs. The establishment of Suning Technology Group signaled that the firm has begun to empower its ecosystem partners with technology. The IT department is no longer just a part of Suning's internal technical system. It is becoming a "profit center" from a "cost center" by supporting the smart retail strategy and the coordinated development of the whole industry internally. It is also building a smart retail ecosystem externally to export "retail as a service" products. With the rapid development of the retail industry and the trend of digitalization, this case provides insights into the IT system construction and digital transformation of retail enterprises and other traditional enterprises. It inspires students to think about the value of technology for enterprises and the opportunities and challenges they will face.