Avenues for Top Management Involvement in Successful MIS Development

Top management and MIS directors have been increasingly urged to improve the way in which their information systems development efforts are being managed. Although the problems of designing and implementing company-wide integrated information systems are primarily managerial rather than technical, little is known about the role of management practices in MIS development or the most appropriate areas or avenues for top management involvement. Through field studies of thirty-three organizations, the author explores the ways in which these firms have managed their information systems operations and how this has influenced their success. This article develops a framework for assessing top management’s role in providing guidance for information systems development efforts, contrasts the management practices of firms with successful versus unsuccessful development efforts, and suggests guidelines for improving the way in which development activities are managed.