The Politics of Information Management: Policy Guidelines

Have you ever wondered why introducing state of the art information technology into an organization can fail? Whether you are a first time IT project manager or a wiley veteran, this book offers keen insights into the dynamics of introducing IT projects into an existing organization. Most of his "war" stories are based on his experiences both in private industry and the Pentagon so there is wide applicability. I found his insights into "governance" of an organization particularly useful. He describes how the relative roles and responsibilities at each level of an organization need to be carefully negotiated and documented much like our Federal, State, and local government roles are differentiated.

Many of the cartoons published in the Irreverent Dictionary came from this book, and I was among those who suggested to Paul that he should publish the cartoons separately. They were, however, essential to this otherwise intimidating book that is nothing less than an operating manual for the Captain of the Virtual Network. The bottom line that I took from this book is that Kevin Kelly is right, our national and international information systems are "out of control" and our policy leaders have abdicated their responsibilities to technicians who do not have the political, economic, or common sense of two ducks and a chicken. As Paul alludes in one of his footnotes, the Network today is somewhat in relationship to the "horseless carriage" stage of the automobile, and we have a very long way to go before policy helps make computers as user-friendly and reliable and interoperable as the telephone and the automobile are today.

It is a fundamental truth that information is an asset. Unfortunately, most managers aren't very technical and convince themselves that they therefore cannot manage information or technology.Nothing could be more wrong, or more deadly. Strassmann examines how to exert management control over technology, information, and ultimately the organization's success.This book is a MUST for any manager who may have responsibility for any technology project, and is doubly useful for more senior managers who must formulate the rules by which their subordinates will manage information.