Information systems evaluation: past, present and future

Introduction: past and presentThe business environment of the new millennium is responsive, dynamic and competitive, and is in a constant state of customer-centred change.This change has been largely initiated by innovations in information and communication technologies, which have led to the creation of the information-based economy.Consequently, many organizations have become reliant upon Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) to support their business processes.Yet, research undertaken by Kempis and Ringbeck (1999) suggests that an alarming proportion of organisations are under-performing with regard to the efficiency and effectiveness of IT utilisation.Why is this the case?Well, the answer to this question is by no means straightforward, and is something that researchers, practitioners and the like, seek to explain.According to McKay and Marshall (2001), there appears to be a dichotomy with respect to the question of investment in IT/IS.On the one hand, the notion of an information-based economy and the arrival of an e-business domain have led to considerable faith being placed in IT to deliver performance improvements.On the other hand, there is concern that IT/IS is not delivering what it promises by vendors and project champions.Irani and Love (2001) attribute this lack of delivery to the difficulty in determining business value from IT/IS investments, and the considerable indirect costs associated with enterprise-wide systems.McKay and Marshall (2001) express concern that managers do not perceive that they are deriving value for money when it comes to IT investments.The measurement of business value of IT/IS investments has been the subject of