Some Perspectives on the Management of Infor Mation Technology

Recently a number of articles have drawn attention to management problems associated with growth in the use of infor Mation technology. Indeed, several authors argue that we have entered an era when the most difficult computer problems confronting organisations are managerial, rather than technical. Certainly, the technology is pervasive, and the issues involved in its management are wide-ranging and complex. This paper reviews the recent literature and identifies nine recurrent themes that tend to dominate much of the discussion. Thereby it defines a set of dimensions under which contemporary management of infor Mation technology must operate and attempts to clarify the constraints and conflicts which it must address.