3.5 Corporate Information
Systems Strategy
Chapter 5
Pg 66
What is a Corporate
Information Systems Strategy?
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A statement of the long-term
objectives and goals for an
organisation’s information system.
Describe the Factors Influencing an
Organisation’s Information System(s)…
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Management organisation and functions
Planning and decision-making methods
General organisational structure
Responsibility for information systems within an
organisation
Hardware and software
Standards
Behavioural factors
Efficiency of information flows
Management Organisation
and Functions
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Managers do the following as part of
their jobs:
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Organise and implement
Plan (strategically and tactically,
depending on their level within the
organisation)
Control and review
General Organisational
Structure
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Information must be communicated up
and down the various levels of a
hierarchical structure to allow
managers to make timely and effective
decisions.
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Responsibility for an Info
System within an organisation
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Data processing responsibility usually falls
to IT dept
Responsibility of MIS usually less formal
and can lead to problems:
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IT dept not aware of existence of systems set up
by individual depts.
Can compromise data security (dept head not
aware of DPA etc)
Most of such data can be duplicated for different
depts (waste of time and resources).
Responsibility cont…
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Best Information Systems are those that are
developed formally.
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All data is kept together (data warehousing)
All managers have software capable of
extracting info in a formal way they can use.
Data is not duplicated therefore consistent.
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Hardware and Software
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Many organisations have limited
budget and have to make do with
existing H/W and S/W
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This means that often the optimum
system cannot be developed.
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Behavioural Factors
Attitude of staff to change is a very
important factor. New systems need full cooperation of staff (especially senior
managers)
 If staff members are poorly motivated
changes will be resisted.
 Job security may become an issue with
some staff.
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Information Flow
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Describe the methods and
mechanisms of information flow within
an organisation both formal and
informal and the constraints imposed
upon this by organisational structures.
Information Flows
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Formal vs Informal
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Many reports generated automatically and
distributed as a matter of routine.
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Daily stock lists
Monthly sales figures
Lists of overdue accounts
Other reports are asked for informally
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Request after sales meeting for last five years sales
figures to make future predictions.
Formal vs Informal cont..
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Formal information requests eg form
filling, authorisation by senior
managers etc (SLOW!)
Informal requests generally much
faster.
Efficiency of Information Flows
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Without adequate flows of data and info to
the various functions within the organisation,
no MIS will be able to supply appropriate
info at the right time and this will lead to bad
decisions being made.
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Factors that can affect those flows
include…..
Organisational Structure
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An organisation with a flat structure
has fewer levels and it is therefore
easier to route the info to the most
appropriate person.
Geographical Structure
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Wider geographical structure can cause
problems but latest technology no longer
means distance is a hindrance.
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videoconferencing
Distributed processing
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All processing doesn’t take place on a single site.
Although more complex to manage has the advantage
of increased security.
What Can be Done to Review
Current Information Flows?
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Inspect current input/output subsystems
Track the documents used for input/output into the
system
Interview the end-users – are they getting info at
the right time?
Use questionnaires – how satisfied are users with
current info flows?
Examine requests made for developments to
improve the current system
Inspect the reports and info from the current
system.
Personnel
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Understand the levels of
task/personnel within an organisation:
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Strategic
Tactical
Operational
And relate the needs of these three
levels to the information system
Planning and Decision Making
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Can be at different levels
Strategic
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Tactical
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Setting broad objectives and formulating
a policy for the whole organisation
Setting medium to short-term objectives.
Operational
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Dealing with jobs in hand.