The 1990s have been a time of great advances in information technology. So why are companies struggling with their systems more than ever before?
Many are burdened with costly and unduly complex legacy systems. Others have business and IT organizations that can’t—or won’t—talk constructively with one another. Still others are at a loss about where to invest to get the functionality they so desperately need.
As Casey Stengel asked at a different time, in a different place: "Can’t anybody here play this game?" The answer is yes—some companies really can play the IT game. The results of a recent study1 reveal that there are indeed a number of companies that have gained control of IT and are using it to deliver real value to their business.
The research shows that what distinguishes these companies is not technological wizardry, but the way they handle their IT activities. In fact, they manage IT in much the same way that they manage their other critical functions and processes: by getting real leadership at senior levels, by making IT speak business English, and by focusing IT work on delivering business value.
Underlying the success of these companies are six basic principles shared...