Introduction

Abstract

This research should have been done at least 20 years ago. The pivotal importance of information technology as the key driver of business has not been seriously questioned since the dawn of minicomputers some 40 years ago. Conversely, the notion that globalization is the only key to survival in a rapidly shrinking world has been a hackneyed cliché for many businesses since the early 1980s. Yet the obvious logical fusion of these two truisms, the application of information technology throughout global operations, is still widely ignored by academics and largely misunderstood by practitioners. As a result, international information systems ¹ projects over the last 20 years have often been downright disastrous. Research into why these applications are difficult and how they could be mastered should be of high priority, but is not.

The global information systems challenge appears to be more complex than commonly suggested. There are no easy and straightforward prescriptions for practitioners involved with global information systems.

M. J. Earl, 1996

Managing multinational companies represents one of the most difficult intellectual and administrative challenges. The sheer complexity of businesses, the competitive dynamics and internal interdepencies of various kinds challenge the very best.

C. K. Prahalad, 1987