The reorganization of the information systems of the US Naval Construction Forces: an action research project

Abstract

Organization change is a difficult task under the best of circumstances. Change dictated from outside the organization makes a reorganization project even more difficult. This study follows the information systems reorganization of the US Naval Construction Forces whose restructuring was directed as a result of budget cuts and military ‘right-sizing’. The process was conducted through the use of action research, an intensive investigative method seeing limited use in information system's research. This method directly involves the researcher in the organizational change effort while placing organization members in close collaboration with the researcher. The study describes the action research methodology while illustrating the research strategy in phases and recounts the successful migration from a highly centralised to a decentralised organization.