Abstract
The profound effect of Information Technology (IT) is changing the way managers of most organisations carry out their activities. In organisational management IT has the potential to offer accurate and timely data/information to support decision making But research reveals that there are various types of risk associated with the development and successful integration of IT-based Information Systems (ISs) at organisational level. In attempting to meet business needs or organisational goals the situation often leads to a plethora of problems. The failure of some organisational IT-based information systems are reviewed and possible types of risk associated with the application of IT in meeting organisational requirements are discussed. Based on the experience gained in an ongoing project for developing an IT-based IS for manufacturing management, an anti-positivist methodology (Action Research) is proposed, which articulates a ‘learning’ process for both the business ‘owners’ and the IT analyst/developer, as a suitable means for eliciting the required knowledge. It is anticipated that the discussion presented may help to generate and increase an awareness of risks of failure when combining IT with organisational needs, so that such risks can be minimised or avoided through the suggested approach.
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Akomode, D.J., Lees, B., Irgens, C. (1997). Applying Information Technology to Minimise Risks in Satisfying Organisational Needs. In: Goossenaerts, J., Kimura, F., Wortmann, H. (eds) Information Infrastructure Systems for Manufacturing. DIISM 1996. IFIP — The International Federation for Information Processing. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-35063-9_21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-35063-9_21
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