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The aims of the book are to examine the historical background to strategic information systems planning, the rationale behind its development, and the identification of the main principles inherent in it. Particularly, the book focuses on the impact of SISP on both public and private sector organisations. The book is in ten parts.

Background

Although computers are about fifty years old, IT is a much younger phenomenon. Moreover, the notion that IS/ IT is strategic is newer still. The exploitation of IT for strategic advantage began in the early 1970s largely as a response to changing global economic and social conditions and rapid advances in technology. Likewise, IS and IT became the key enablers of truly global trading systems (Drucker, 1993).

Nevertheless, it was not until the late 1980s that IT was considered an essential part of corporate strategy. The strategic opportunities and threats of the 1980s, coupled with cheaper computing power, ultimately led to IT becoming an important support for organisations’ strategies.

However, the pace of change, which influences many aspects of business, both private and public sector, is often difficult to cope with and is seen as a problem area by many chief executives. Furthermore, the importation of private sector management techniques into the public sector, and the accompanying emphasis on sustainable competitive advantage, has proved to be inappropriate to the management of the welfare state (Flynn, 1993).

References

• Drucker, P. F. (1993) Post Capitalist Society, Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Flynn, N. (1993) Public Sector Management (2nd ed.), Harvester-Wheatsheaf.