Changes in the management of the information systems organization: an exploratory study

  • Authors:

  • Michael J. Gallivan

  • Affiliations:

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

  • Venue:
  • SIGCPR '94 Proceedings of the 1994 computer personnel research conference on Reinventing IS : managing information technology in changing organizations: managing information technology in changing organizations
  • Year:
  • 1994

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Abstract

The present study was conducted as exploratory research to understand the activities and beliefs of IS and line managers, with regard to the management of information technology (IT). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 managers in seven firms to understand their current initiatives, future vision, and the factors driving change. Managers from three different positions from each company were interviewed—a senior IS manager, an IS application development manager, and a line manager. The results showed that there were a variety of different initiatives underway—with the most common ones being rapid prototyping, an emphasis on purchasing packages, business reengineering, and building IT infrastructure. Beyond these few commonalities, different firms were adopting a variety of changes to their IS organization structure, working relationships with users and outside vendors, system development tools and methodologies, and their training and other human resource policies.Similarly, a broad range of factors were cited as driving changes in IT management practice—with these clustering into four major sets of drivers: business cost pressures, business service pressures, IS service pressures, and technology-push factors. Few respondents were able to articulate a vision for the IS organization of the future, beyond describing their expectations for the initiatives currently underway. Of those respondents who provided such a vision, few described the steps required to achieve the transition. These findings are analyzed in terms of a management framework derived from Harold Leavitt and discussed in light of other recent research on IS management. Questions for follow-up research are suggested.