Developing and installing a computer-based system in an organization can have major impacts on the tasks performed by participants in that organization. In recent years, an increasing share of systems development effort has been directed toward systems to support managerial decision making. These systems require a fár greater degree of individual change than did earlier, clerical replacement systems. Successful implementation often requires changes in the users' views of their jobs. The demands that these systems place on the implementation process cause many standard development approaches to be inadequate. This article suggests some alternative approaches and points out the need for new tools.
Management information systems are not generally evaluated in a systematic fashion. This article provides an MIS evaluation framework and describes its application to a strategic planning information system.
The role of document-based information systems in management has been relatively neglected. However, during the last few years, a certain number of document-based systems for use within a management context have been reported in the literature. A framework for the classification of these systems is developed here, and the results of a literature survey undertaken to identify illustrative examples, and to classify them according to the framework developed, are reported. Twenty-two illustrative systems are identified, described, and classified along two major lines of development. The convergence and integration of data and document processing techniques in support of management planning and control is also discussed.
This article explores the nature of cognitive styles and the effects of cognitive style differences on information system usage and design. Some ideas are presented for clarifying the nature of cognitive styles, and a number of cognitive style models are discussed which are applicable to information system design and research. Suggestions are presented for assisting information system analysts in incorporating the users' cognitive styles differences into information systems design and some problems are indicated which could arise during implementation. Finally, experimental design factors are outlined for improving research into the cognitive styles area.
This article presents a model of factors associated with the successful implementation of a computer- based information system or OR/MS model. The model hypothesizes that two classes of variables, model quality and management support, influence attitudes and perceptions of a model or system. The research model also predicts that attitudes and perceptions, management support, system or model quality, decision style and situational and personal factors are related to successful implementation. In general, the relationships in the model receive support from the data; however, further research is needed, particularly to provide more evidence on possible causal links in the model. Certain classes of variables are also difficult to relate to implementation success, including decision style and personal and situational factors. If the evidence for the model is considered sufficient to take action, implementation strategies should concentrate on several key variables. First, the quality of the model must be high, both in terms of logic and user interface. Favorable attitudes and perceptions should be stressed during development of a model or system. Management support should be encouraged and solicited and the implementor should try to consider different decision styles. Finally, personal and situational factors are likely to be related to success. The purpose of this article is to summarize the findings of nine empirical studies which furnish data to test hypotheses derived from a descriptive model of implementation. It is hoped that hypothesis testing and models of implementation such as those proposed in [14] along with empirical studies will provide a better understanding of the variables associated with successful implementation.
Planning for the information systems in an organization generally has not been closely related to the overall strategic planning processes through which the organization prepares for its future. An MIS strategic planning process is conceptualized and illustrated as one which links the, organization's "strategy set" to an MIS "strategy set."
This paper describes a procedure of evaluating a company's information system effectiveness relative to business objectives and or industry practice. The focus of this process, called a management assessment, is on the management aspects of the relationship between the user and the information system organization. In addition to describing the process, the paper examines why a management assessment should be conducted and the role of the information systems executive in the process.