A VP at Dell argues that the utility model for IT is flawed. For two reasons: first, utilities can't be customized, and the economics of IT and utilities are different.
Leaving the utility argument aside (which I think is fundamentally flawed), he's basically saying that IT is or can be a strategic resource - if it's treated as such. If it's treated as a commodity and not aligned with strategy, it will just provide commoditized value.
Unfortunately for him, I think the debate is already pretty much over, no? IT
is a commodity to the bean counters. I think a big reason for this is because the geeks, instead of infiltrating and subverting the corporate superstructure, disengaged and built silos where they didn't have to deal with the bean counters.