Adopting IT: food program sponsor discovers it's no picnic

  • Authors:
  • John M. Anderson;William H. Gwinn

  • Affiliations:
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington;University of North Carolina at Wilmington

  • Venue:
  • Annals of cases on information technology
  • Year:
  • 2002

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Abstract

Small companies are often reluctant to try innovative approaches to information management because of the cost of the hardware and software, the potential disruption of processes already dependent on overstressed resources and the lack of in-house expertise. This case looks at the experience with information technology (IT) implementation of one small nonprofit company that provides administrative services for child care providers. Like many companies of all sizes, the focal company realized it must adopt new information technologies in order to survive. The company fit the profile for small companies just entering the world of IT. It experienced the expected internal problems associated with change. And then it discovered that its size and its relationship to government oversight agencies, themselves struggling to implement IT, posed special threats to its survival.