Global information systems: factors or fiction

Summary form only given. The development and implementation of global information systems are uniquely and significantly impacted by a wide range of technical factors: an organization's information technology (IT) infrastructure, the quality and viability of existing systems, the technology currently being used, overall technical skills, and spending levels for all aspects of IT. They also are impacted by an equally wide range of nontechnical factors: the company's organizational structure; overall market forces; corporate, regional and local information requirements; cross-cultural issues; and national regulations impacting the implementation of information systems. When planning for the development and implementation of global information systems companies should develop a strategic information systems plan. The plan should include an evaluation of the company's current IT activities, and how they support its business strategies. A commitment by senior management of its support for the systems activities is critical to the success of any plan for new and/or improved information systems. A major enterprise in the entertainment business, a record company with operations world-wide, underwent such a study. It identified deficiencies in its current information systems and the impact of those deficiencies on its world-wide competitive position, and developed a strategic plan for improving its IT capabilities. This paper describes both factors impacting the development and implementation of global information systems, and the company's experiences relating to such systems.