Practitioners’ forum

Abstract

The concept that information technology can be used as part of an organization's strategy changes its role in the organization. Whilst investments associated with current or ‘more of the same’ computer systems are proposed by the data processing manager, requests for investments associated with the use of IT as a competitive weaponcome from a much wider audience within the organization.Since the size of the investment may be large and its potential impact on the organization profound, there is a need to objectively analyze and manage such investments at the strategic level. There are some fairly sophisticated models in the academic literature, but the consensus of opinion in the general management literature and several management consultant reports suggests that successful analysis is not merely a case of quantitative justification: management requires both ‘vision’ and organizational changes to pursue the full potential of investments.