NCJ Number
66882
Journal
Management Science Volume: 24 Issue: 10 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 1064-1077
Date Published
1978
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT VARIABLES AFFECTING THE SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS) ARE IDENTIFIED.
Abstract
THE VARIABLES ARE CATEGORIZED AS UNCONTROLLABLE, PARTIALLY CONTROLLABLE, AND CONTROLLED. DATA WERE OBTAINED FROM A SURVEY OF THE SCIENTIFIC, MANAGERIAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND TRADE LITERATURE DEVELOPED OVER THE PAST DECADE, AS WELL AS THE USE OF MIS. UNCONTROLLABLE VARIABLES ARE THOSE WHOSE STATUS IS GIVEN WITH RESPECT TO THE MIS, BECAUSE THE TIME REQUIRED TO CHANGE THEIR VALUES IS WELL BEYOND THE TIME FRAME OF THE MIS IMPLEMENTATION AND BECAUSE THERE IS VERY LITTLE THE MIS UNIT CAN DO TO INDUCE CHANGES IN THESE VARIABLES EVEN OVER THE LONG TERM. THE VARIABLES IN THIS GROUP ARE ORGANIZATIONAL SIZE, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCURE, ORGANIZATIONAL TIME FRAME, AND THE EXTRA-ORGANIZATIONAL SITUATION. PARTIALLY CONTROLLABLE VARIABLES ARE THOSE WHICH ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CHANGE WITHIN A TIME FRAME COMPATIBLE WITH THAT OF THE MIS; THEIR EXACT VALUES CANNOT BE CHOSEN AT WILL, BUT CHANGES IN THE DESIRED DIRECTION CAN BE INDUCED. THESE VARIABLES ARE ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES, ORGANIZATIONAL MATURITY, AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLIMATE IN THE ORGANIZATION. CONTROLLABLE VARIABLES ARE THOSE WHOSE EXACT VALUES OR STATES CAN BE DETERMINED BY THE ORGANIZATION AT ANY TIME. VARIABLES IN THIS CATEGORY ARE RANK AND LOCATION OF THE RESPONSIBLE EXECUTIVE AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE. CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON EACH OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT VARIABLES AND THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THEM IS SURVEYED AND PROPOSITIONS ARE STATED AS A BASIS FOR RESEARCH DESIGNED TO FORMALIZE THE CURRENTLY INTUITIVE APPROACH IN THIS AREA. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)