From Control to Drift: The Dynamics of Corporate Information Infrastructures

Firms are investing considerable resources to create large information infrastructures able to fulfil their varied information-processing and communication needs. The more the drive towards globalization, the more such infrastructures become crucial. The 'wiring' of the corporation should be done in a way that is aligned with its corporate strategy -- it is global and generates value. This book presents six in-depth case studies of large corporations -- AstraZeneca, IBM, Norsk Hydro, Roche, SKF, and Statoil -- which offer a rich picture of the main issues involved in information infrastructure implementation and management. Far from being a linear process, the use of the information infrastructure is in fact an open-ended process, in many cases out of control. Current management models and consulting advice do not seem to be able to cope with such a business landscape. This book provides the reader with interpretations and theories tha can foster a different understanding and approach. Thus, the economics of standards, complexity theory, and actor-network theory are harnessed to penetrate the issues emerging from the case studies and to generate a new conception of the information infrastructure that is relevant both for researchers and practitioners.