Roles, responsiblities and requirements for managing information systems in the 1990s

摘要

Information Systems Managers of over 200 large Australian and New Zealand private and public sector ornanizations were surveyed in 1990 as part of an ongoing series of studies focusing on information systems needs, processes and priorities. This study provides insights into the concerns of information systems managers and indicates ways in which information systems management is handling business and technological challenges and opportunities. The results of the 1990s study, with a 61 per cent response rate, indicated a considerable growth in end-user processing of data and in the size of information systems groups. Accountability for the return on the information systems investment was generally a joint systems and business manager responsibility, where the highest ranked business priority for systems development was ‘increased market share’. Information systems managers' evaluation of the process of the purchase and implementation of software application packages revealed the somewhat unsatisfactory performance of vendors, although participants believed it was still preferable to purchase packages than develop in-house. The skills levels and requirements of information systems professionals indicated that the biggest ‘skill gaps’ were in the management and business areas, particularly aligning information and business strategies and the marketing of information services. Approaches to overcoming these gaps are canvassed.