Strategic Information Systems
Strategic information systems represent a new breed of and radically different information systems that evolved from its predecessor legacy systems. These legacy information systems were used for the basic automation of office and administrative functions during the infancy of the Information Age. Currently, information systems also serve as decision support systems for executives and managers who make strategic and operational decisions.
In the global economy, businesses are constantly searching for a competitive advantage in their industry or marketplace. A key to developing a competitive advantage involves investing wisely in information systems that support an organization’s business strategies. Strategic information systems serve as a double-edged sword for modern day businesses. When organizations invest in information technology (IT) that does not align with their goals and strategies, these organizations may receive little or no benefit from this investment. Investing in IT that represents a strategic information system can result in a competitive advantage over its competitors. Consequently, strategic information systems represent a key to the Information Age, creating a means for businesses to support their organizational strategies and to improve their productivity, growth, profitability and financial performance.
The Study
This study evaluates strategic information systems based on various parameters that cumulatively indicate whether not a system provided any strategic value to a business. The goal of this study is to provide a source of knowledge about the different types of strategic information systems that evolved since the 1960s. Led by a dedicated research director, students enrolled in the Masters of Science in Management Information Systems (MS/MIS) program in the College of Business Administration (COBA) at the University of South Florida (USF) completed this study during the Spring of 2007. The MS/MIS students conducted research for the past three years by collecting data on the histories of almost 100 information systems. Additionally, the MS/MIS students developed and implemented this website, receiving valuable technical support from DocuVantage to create this website.