The Design and Impact of Strategic Management Information Systems: Discussion

Abstract

Cotterill's purpose is to facilitate research on strategic management information systems (SMIS). He utilizes two anecdotes-A&P's failed backward integration strategy into food manufacturing and FARMARCO's failed forward integration strategy into world grain trading-to illustrate the nature and significance of business strategy. He concludes that more research by economists is needed and that government should play an expanded role in strategic management information systems research, standards setting, and data collection. I will not dwell upon these two conclusions. Suffice it to say that because I am an economist working in the strategic management information system of a regional farmer cooperative, I would hardly disagree with his first conclusion. I am skeptical of his second conclusion but will reserve judgment until the issue is more sharply focused. Rather than dwelling upon Cotterill's two conclusions, I believe I can best advance our present discussion and future dialogue between industry and academia by identifying some of the reasons industry has been slow to implement SMIS and by offering some suggestions about how we economists might enhance SMIS.