Systematization Approach for Exploring Business Information Systems: Management Dimensions

Today, business information systems (BIS) has become an umbrella term that indispensably indicates more than just a main business infrastructure. Information systems have to enhance the capacity of knowledge workers to enable business organizations to operate successfully in complex and highly competitive environments. Despite the rapid advancements in technology and IT solutions, the success rate of BIS implementation is still low, according to practitioners and, academics. The effects of IT system failures and delays can be disastrous for many companies, possibly leading to bankruptcy, lost clients and market share, and diminished competitive advantage and company brand, among other things.

The study of system science gained impetus after World War II, suggesting a new way of studying complex organisms and their behavior. Investigating parts of the whole is not enough if one is to understand the complex functions and relationships of a system. Business organizations are often examined through a number of their elements and sub-systems-leadership and government, marketing and sales systems, operating systems, IT systems, financial and accounting systems, and many other sub-systems. However, behind every sub-system stands human beings — the employees who personalize every business processes in order to express their unique approach to deliver value. This intrinsic element of business organization — its human capital — is often underestimated when “hard” issues like information systems are introduced.

Systematization proposes an approach to the study of BIS within its complex environment, considering it as an integral element for organizational survival. Planning BIS is a substantial part of a company's strategy to succeed further while capturing, analyzing and reacting to information acquired from the environment, combining it with knowledge of internal processes and exploiting it to give customers better value.