Discussion of the precise nature of the Information System discipline has raged for more than twenty years and continues fiercely today. The most interesting aspect of recent debate is not only the sharpness and depth of the arguments, but the diverse conclusions arrived at by participants. Whilst very different, these have all been reached with the genuine aim of strengthening IS scholarship, and they all add to our specific understanding of the discipline in the last two decades. Edited by two of the most prominent academics in the field, this book brings together such perspectives along...

Firms are continually seeking new ways to forge close relationships with their most valuable customers. With recent advances in networking and database management, firms have both the motivation and the means for improving their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategies.


This book focuses on the actuality of implementing CRM. It is about the organization's ability to provide a seamless and personalized experience to each customer rather than a transactional or product-focused approach where the future of the relationship is not an over-riding consideration. This...

Identifies and analyzes the social, political and problematic nature of systems and the use of IT in contemporary society. Considers the growing complexity of IT management issues, the changing profiles and organization of the IS profession and the dominant rise of a user relations problem within modern systems development. Features a detailed, case study of a major systems project--from the early decisions involving desirability and design to launch and initial assessment. Analyzes the shift from a technological-led to a strategic and marketing-led use of IT.

EDI in Europe How It Works in Practice During the last decade, the use of information technology to support the exchange of information has been constantly growing. One of the most important areas of growth has been the application of technology to the exchange of structured information between companies - generally referred to as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). While adoption of EDI is widespread in the US, usage in Europe is reported as scant. This book addresses itself to the European situation and the potential for EDI in Europe. EDI in Europe begins by introducing the basic elements...

Amidst the accelerating change of an increasingly competitive global market, Information, Organization and Management demonstrates how business success in the global market place depends upon products and services rich in variety, value and instantly responsive to customer needs.

The person who runs the company sees IS as being the provider of solutions. "Don t tell me about function point productivity. What we want is faster turnaround time for systems and we re not getting it " The person who runs the IS division recognizes that it has a strategic role. "The management is locked into a 1980s timewarp how do I persuade them that IS has more to offer than in the past?" The aim of the book is to step into the middle ground. It emphasizes the important role an IS manager plays in the development of the company strategy. It will show how the everyday problems need to be...

Organometallic compounds are molecules made up of an organic molecule with one or more metallic elements incorporated into its structure. These compounds are extremely important as catalysts and reagents in organic synthesis both in the laboratory and in industrial syntheses.

This book discusses a holistic approach to organizations. It explores alternative organizational forms and work practices, the use and availability of information systems, evolving skill requirements, the innovative power of information technology, the creation of knowledge, and the reshaping of industrial sectors. Presents forward-looking, exciting topics. Breaks the boundaries of functionally-based, overly deterministic information literature.

This book provides a forum of current thinking by prominent scholars and practitioners from around the globe. Edited and with a lengthy introduction by two internationally recognised experts in this field, the book's coverage includes: Selective Outsourcing, Total Outsourcing, Total Insourcing, IT department as a trading agency, Offshore Development. Theoretical perspectives allow critical variables to be extracted in order to explain successful or unsuccessful decisions, while decision frameworks and case studies provide guidelines on which sourcing options to select, and how to manage...

Taking a design-oriented approach that is grounded in academic research but has also had practical testing, this book offers insights and instruments that should benefit any organization wishing to manage its IT investments from an infrastructural perspective. It presents rigorous methods to assess, control and manage IT investments, combating the increasing intangibility of benefits.