STANDARDS FOR USER-DRIVEN APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

IS budgets have increased to a point at which many IS organizations could be standalone organizations. Viewed in this light, IS should be managed as such. This column describes this budgetary growth pattern, discusses the management implications of this growth, and offers advice on how to manage IS as an independent business venture.     

STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLANNING Aligning Business Goals with Technology

Abstract

For strategic business planning to be successful in the prevailing competitive business environment, current and future technology needs must be considered. In many organizations, it is the responsibility of the IS manager to ensure that the information systems support these business needs. The IS manager must have a clear understanding of the organization's strategic business plan and must tailor IS projects to meet that plan's objectives. Enterprisewide information management and enterprise analysis can help the IS manager understand the business strategy and predict the effects of technology on that strategy.     

OFFICE AUTOMATION An MIS Manager' s Guide to Office Automation

Abstract

For an easy solution to the complex problem of IS projects that are delivered late and over budget, IS managers sometimes purchase project management software. Although such software can provide some benefits, it is not a cure-all for the ills of poorly developed and badly managed projects.     

Mobility,Business Process Management,Software Sourcing,and Maturity Model Trends: Propositions for the IS Organization of the Future

ABSTRACT

In this article, I argue that increased mobility, a continued emphasis on business process management, expanded options for the sourcing of enterprise system software, and IS maturity models are trends that will require new capabilities and skills for tomorrow's IS organization.     

More Than a Medicine Show: Evaluating New Technologies

Abstract

As microcomputers continue to reach more and more desktops at companies all over the US- 13 million machines by 1990 by some estimates – the question as to why these machines have become so popular is of interest to many researchers in the IS field. Understanding this PC popularity can assist in management of microcomputer use and development of microcomputer applications.     

Integrating Distributed Data Bases into the Information Architecture

Abstract

To keep pace with rapid changes in corporate business requirements, organizations have begun to integrate distributed data base technology into their information architectures. Distributed data base management systems (DDBMSs) in particular promote the departmental sharing of data as well as easy access to data in a distributed environment, both key aspects of any data management strategy. This article describes the elements of distributed data base technology to help IS managers control the integration of distributed data bases in their organizations.     

It-Enhanced Productivity and Profitability

Abstract

Applications of modern information technology – the management philosophy engendered by TQM and BPR, global networks, the Internet, intranets, mass customization and integrated logistics, and data warehousing and mining – have significantly affected business profitability and productivity. By standing ready to serve as innovators in continuing this trend, IS people will not only help their organizations compete, but will also help finally lay the productivity paradox to rest.     

The IS Organization of the Future: Impacts of Global Sourcing

ABSTRACT

Global sourcing will continue to have a major impact on IS organizations. Fourteen “new” and traditional skills that IS organizations will need in tomorrow's global sourcing environment are highlighted.     

Achieving IT-Business Strategic Alignment via Enterprise-Wide Implementation of Balanced Scorecards

ABSTRACT

IT-business alignment remains one of the top issues of IS managers. This article presents a case study in which four key elements of IT-business alignment — integrated planning, effective communication, active relationship management, and institutionalized culture of alignment — were enhanced by the enterprise-wide implementation of an established strategic management tool, the balanced scorecard.     

NETWORKING WITH A HUMAN FACE Mentoring as a Career Strategy

Abstract

Mentoring has been around for ages, often masquerading as the management club or the fast track. Among successful business unit managers, mentoring is a well-understood practice, and it's a career development strategy today's IS professional would be wise to consider.     

MANAGING THE DISTRIBUTED ENVIRONMENT An Architecture for Success

Abstract

As more organizations move to complex distributed information processing environments, IS managers must reexamine their method of controlling the data, software, and applications that run across the systems of the various departments. The increased challenge in protecting the security of data and applications has led to the need for a more efficient management plan.     

User commitment and collaboration: Motivational antecedents and project performance

ContextPrior research into the success of information system development projects views user commitment and collaboration as unrelated concepts in models that take either a perspective of mediators or one of processes. This perspective is limiting in that mediators and processes may interact during the course of an information system development project.ObjectiveIn this work, we model both mediators and processes as important to project outcomes and propose that processes will also be impacted by affective mediators, specifically the behavioral mediator of user commitment and the project process of collaboration. The model also allows behavioral antecedents to be considered in relation to the mediation variable, specifically the ability of the users and the extrinsic motivators perceived by the users.MethodA questionnaire containing constructs of collaboration processes, user commitment, abilities, and extrinsic motivation are completed by users in a development project and project success is measured by the IS staff for a matching independent variable. 128 matching pairs were collected and the model analyzed using partial least squares regression.ResultsResults indicate that the affective mediator can be influenced by the tested antecedents showing that IS project managers should be able to choose users with essential abilities and also establish sufficient rewards to employees, even those who may not be direct subordinates. Similarly, collaboration is still important to the success of a project, indicating that procedures to encourage collaboration be installed from the beginning of the project. However, commitment alone is sufficient to predict collaboration, meaning that motivation outside the processes in place may not be necessary to encourage collaboration between the users and IS staff.ConclusionIS researchers should consider both process mediators and affective states in future work when considering the link between antecedent inputs of software projects to the success of outputs. IS managers should promote commitment among users beyond placing collaboration mechanisms in place. This might require project managers have more decision authority in the rewards provided to user participants.     

CSFs and sources of assistance and expertise in strategic IS planning: a Singapore perspective

Strategic information systems (IS) planning is not an easy task and knowing which critical areas to manage certainly enhances IS planning success. Studies of critical success factors (CSFs) usually dealt with specific systems or management technique implementation, such as manufacturing resource planning (MRP) and total quality management (TQM). There exists little empirical research on CSFs per se in strategic IS planning. This paper is an effort to enhance existing knowledge on how strategic IS planning should be effectively managed. Using data from a survey on IS planning conducted in 1996 by the National University of Singapore, we identified and rank-ordered the CSFs in strategic IS planning in the Singapore context. We also examined the sources of assistance and expertise that companies undertaking IS planning in Singapore can tap.     

Development and validation of an Internet self-efficacy scale

Although much research has been done in the area of strategic planning for information systems (IS), relatively less research has focused on the output of the IS planning process, namely, the IS plan. This paper examines the usefulness of IS plans through a field survey of 136 IS executives. Results indicate that IS plans are generally perceived to be useful for supporting business objectives, improving systems integration, exploiting information technology (IT) for competitive advantage, and prioritising IS development projects. Conversely, IS plans are perceived to be less useful for clarifying the role of IS, evaluating IS performance, anticipating surprises and crisis, and adapting to unanticipated situations. Implications of these results are discussed.     

Discriminative effect of user influence and user responsibility on information system development processes and project management

Context

User participation in information system (IS) development has received much research attention. However, prior empirical research regarding the effect of user participation on IS success is inconclusive. This might be because previous studies overlook the effect of the particular components of user participation and other possible mediating factors.

Objective

The objective of this study is to empirically examine how user influence and user responsibility affect IS project performance. We inspect whether user influence and user responsibility improve the quality of the IS development process and in turn leads to project success, or if they have a direct positive influence on project success.

Method

We conducted a survey of 151 IS project managers in order to understand the impact of user influence and user responsibility on IS project performance. Regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship among user influence, user responsibility, organizational technology learning, project control, user-developer interaction, and IS project management performance.

Results

This study shows that user responsibility and user influence have a positive effect on project performance through the promotion of IS development processes as mediators, including organizational technology learning, project control, and user-IS interaction.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that user responsibility and user influence respectively play an important role in indirectly and directly impacting project management performance. Results of the analysis imply that organizations and project managers should use both user participation and user influence to improve processes performance, and in turn, increase project success.     

The Transformation of Computing: Riding the Wave

Abstract

In an IS world characterized by high stress and low unemployment, IS executives must not only secure scarce talent but also ensure that staffing patterns optimally meet corporate and IT goals. the staffing model presented here offers a new way of looking at IS culture, bringing IS in tandem with the strategic direction of the organization, and fostering ongoing, global assessment of overall IS performance.     

Towards an integrated measurement of IS project performance: The project performance scorecard

Determining the contribution of information system (IS) projects is a difficult endeavour. This research presents a framework for evaluating and measuring IS project performance that seek to address this problem while moving away from the reliance on the traditional assessment method (time, cost, specifications). When IS projects fail or succeed is difficult to determine what conditions enabled the outcome. However, if we are to develop a higher level of IS project management competence we need frameworks that can help in assessing IS project outcomes while critically reflecting and learning from IS project management practices. The Project Performance Scorecard (PPS) recommended here is one framework that can help to advance our understanding IS project management and evaluation approaches. This framework integrates concepts from existing models of IS success, the Balanced Scorecard and project management practices. A case study approach is used to illustrate the use of the PPS, and offers insights into how it can be useful in assessing the performance of IS projects.

A NEW CORPORATE ORDER Changing Priorities for IS

Abstract

For the past three decades, IS managers have been faced with the tasks of honing their craft, improving productivity, and serving as the keepers of information technology for the corporation. For the most part, they have done a commendable job. However, the rules of the game are changing. Old solutions are no longer extensible to current problems, and today's problems are unlike any faced in the past. This article takes a fresh look at what the top priorities for IS managers should be in the coming years.     

Information Systems Strategy and its Relationship With Innovation Differentiation and Organizational Performance

ABSTRACT

This study, from the resource-based view, analyzes the different typologies of information systems (IS) strategy and their effects on firms’ innovation differentiation strategy and performance. Distinguishing between innovative and conservative IS strategy, results from the Spanish food industry show that an innovative IS strategy has a stronger direct effect on organizational performance, but that a conservative IS strategy can be a safer way to support the innovation differentiation strategy of firms.     

The Future IS Organization in a Flat World

ABSTRACT

The business world is becoming increasingly “flat” with regard to access to global markets and a global workforce. New operational priorities are emerging that require new IS capabilities. The linkage between these operational shifts and the changes required by an IS organization to develop new IS capabilities for a flattening world are identified and discussed.