From System Development To Information Infrastructure: The Shifting Technical Focus Of Corporate IS Organizations

Abstract

When Information Systems were first recognized as important organizations in the corporate business structure, their first technical challenge was to convert paper-based business systems to computer-based and later network-based functions.  This conversion required extensive development of computer, network, and particularly software systems.  System development started out being the primary technical focus of corporate Information Systems organizations.  In recent years, the completion of this initial conversion process, the commodification of business software, the emergence of a development-outsourcing industry, and of software frameworks that dramatically reduce the effort needed to develop or customize a business system, have all contributed to a shift in the technical focus of corporate Information Systems organizations.  The new primary technical focus, documented in a survey of recent CSU LA IS graduates, is on technical administration of systems, networks, and information security.