什么是信息系统？信息系统怎样与企业战略融为一体？怎样才能确信在信息系统上的投资能为企业带来实际的效益？信息系统项目应怎样进行管理？信息系统应怎样加以组织？本书对上述问题及其他有关问题作了清楚而确切的解释。对于那些接受短期培训的管理者、MBA，以及想迅速了解这一问题核心内容的教师和学生来说，都不失为极具价值的参考书。它还可以作为管理人员的藏书，以及那些有抱负的管理人员完善自己知识和技能的参考资料。

前 言
    Since the first edition of this book the genral level of interest in information systems and their contribution to business has continued to increase; this book deals with the subject from a management and business perspective. It focuses on the way in which business strategy is served by information systems, and explains the tools and techniques that will help to ensure that information systems strategies are in line with strategic business needs. In this second edition there is new material on business process redesign process and information analysis, requlrements analysis, outsourcing and trends.
    Information systems management is still a young subject, and there are no ground rules that provide an easy, prescriptive understanding of what best practice might be. Technology continus to change rapidly, undermining the ability of techecal people to develop a reliable and manageable approach to their work. It also prevents the development of a stable relationship with the IT supply industry. Within the business itself, information systems users continue to develop their level of competency and understanding, and therefore their level of expectation and their ability to articulate needs.
    In this situation the only sensible approach is to step back from the particular (which changes from year to year, and even from week to week) and to try and understand the opderlying principles which will provide a moe enduring understanding of successful inforrnation systems management. This is the genral approach taken in this book. In it there are no detailed descriptions of methodologies. nor of　current products and services. Instead we prefer to use some traditional and some new management ideas, to understand the benefits that information systems can provide and the means to achieve them, whatever the particular circumstances might be. We hope that this book will be interesting to a wide audience, especiallypractising business managers, students of business admmistration. and IT product and service suppliers who wish to understand more about the managerial perspective on information systems.
    Our thanks are due to many who have made this book possible. Especially to Dawn Christine, Lisa, Jackie and Pam who helped with production in different ways, and kept shop whil we were totally occupied with the books content. Also, to all those MBA students and practising managers who have helped us to Shape our ideas over the last few years.
    Chris Edwards
    John Ward
    Wy Bytheway
    Cranfield School of Minagement, June 1995

  1 Setting the scene    A framework for understanding    The structure and purpose of the book  2 What are information systems?    Classification of systems    A model of the evolution of systems    Surnmary  3 Issues in information systems    The case study    Issues to be managed  4 Integrating information systems and business　strategy    Introduction    The context of IS/IT strategy    The key inputs    Processes for managing the strategy    Establishing the IS/IT strategic planning process    Sumxnary  5 Identifying business advantages from information    systems    Introduction    A planning framework for determining the    requirements    Assessing the business position wiha the industry in　terms of IS oppordrities and threats    Business process redesign    Critical success factor analysis    Information analysis    Sununary  6 Creating an environment for success    Introduction    Application portfolio analysis    Generic IS/IT management strategies    The application portfolio in a multiple business unit　organization    Issues in managing the application portfolio    Evaluating IS/IT investments    Setting priorities for applications    Summary  7 Managing infonnation systems development    Introduction    Basic systems development    The main project activities    Requirements analysis - one key to success    Variations on a theme    Summary  8 Support for the system development process    Introduction    Supporting disciplines for information systems    Surnxnary  9 Organization for managing IS/IT    Introduction    Centralization versus decentTalization    The major processes and responsibilities    Organizational issues    Summary  10 Conclusion: current and future directions    Index