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The first version of the Nolan Stages Theory appeared in 1973. It explained the dynamics of the increasingly vital production factor called IT. This theory is probably the most well‐known and most widespread framework of the development of information technology in organisations. It provides many insights in the ways in which IT has evolved and continues to evolve. Moreover, it offers both senior (business) management and IT management the possibility of directing this complex phenomenon, without immediately going into technical details. Since 1973, a number of associated articles have been published by Richard L. Nolan and a number of co‐authors. The theory has continuously been adapted to the current IT environment and has been applied by a huge number of large companies throughout the world. Proceeds with the development of the Stages Theory in order to be able to deal with the business and IT issues of the next five to ten years.

In order to manage library or information functions you must be able to persuasively communicate with your management. To accomplish this, you must communicate in the language of your management, marshalling trendy and persuasive points on your own behalf With that as a given, there has been a very heartening development over the last few years for library and information managers—a burgeoning management attention to information.

Defines end user computing (EUC). Suggests a dichotomy between information systems (IS) managers and end users, both of whom wish control computing resources. Reviews literature concerning EUC and the stage growth model. Suggests alternative visions of the role of IS and user managements in the growth of EUC.

While IT has been widely used to facilitate right‐sizing, the role of IT in the quality movement has been proven but underutilized. Companies focusing on quality to increase revenues have seen dramatic results, improving products and services severalfold, with half the number of employees. IT has helped those organizations design goods that are easier to manufacture, improve new product cycle time through cross‐functional integration of systems, and use electronic networks to speed up communications internally and with suppliers and customers. Yet most IT departments have been reactive rather than proactive, involved only peripherally in their organization′s total quality programmes. Quality improvement is vital to companies trying to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment, and IT must be a partner in an organization′s efforts to institutionalize quality. A business can begin this effort with several basic steps. Briefly explaining the evolution of the quality movement will help put those steps into context.

The business environment for the past quarter‐century has been characterized by increasing competition, decreasing product life cycles, and growth of industrial organizations in terms of both human and physical assets. Coupled with these challenges are increased societal pressures for greater corporate accountability. In order to survive and eventually achieve myriad diverse objectives, decisionmakers are forced to extend planning horizons, introducing even greater levels of uncertainty. Moreover, the typical decision‐maker is further removed from action points, increasing the communications problem and rendering decisive management more difficult.

This chapter discusses the use of an extended stage model for the evaluation of the adoption of e-business in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Empirical studies of e-business adoption are rare in Middle Eastern and developing countries and the chapter provides valuable insight into this region, by presenting an account of the use of the extended stage model to explore the level of e-business adoption among Yemeni SMEs.

In making this examination, the challenges and opportunities that accompany e-business adoption are revealed. The internal drivers and barriers, such as finance and skills, are recognised along with the external factors that include infrastructure and legislation. It also provides valuable insight into the macro-level sociopolitical determinants of e-business adoption that have not previously been appreciated; the study was undertaken during the Yemen Civil War in 2016.

Current adoption models imply that organisations adopt technologies in a linear fashion, gradually increasing complexity and capability. This study makes an important contribution by recognising that there are multiple points at which SMEs may ‘enter’ the technology-adoption ladder.

Argues that senior management must be involved in the IT architecture process in a directly participatory manner. Describes the process of executive architecture design, complete with the essential components of both top‐down and bottom‐up driven architecture. Describes the characteristics of five levels of maturity in the development of IT architectures, from a business competitor’s perspective.

Office automation as it is being introduced today aims “to automate office procedures”, as I.B.M. points out, not “merely to mechanize tasks”. It refers to the use of computer technology to process and transmit information, combining word and data processing. Automation also involves linking together today's many modern devices into “integrated office systems”. Because new technology is being developed to computerize the very flow of work in the office, its potential impact is qualitatively different from previous office equipment which “mechanized” or “automated” routine tasks.

A national multi‐gigabit‐per‐second research and education network known as the National Research and Education Network is to be established by 1996, according to the High‐Performance Computing Act of 1991 (P.L. 102–194) passed in December 1991. Commonly known as the NREN and referred to as the “information highway,” this electronic network is expected to provide scientific, educational, and economic benefits for the United States and to serve as the basis for an all‐encompassing National Information Infrastructure available to all citizens. The idea of the NREN began in the late 1960s in the Department of Defense and its Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) with the development of ARPANet, the first packet‐switching network. This evolved into the Internet, or Interim NREN, after the National Science Foundation (NSF) linked its national supercomputing centers with the NSFNet. The NSFNet is to be the technological backbone for the NREN, which will continue the networking begun by the Internet. Initially, the NREN is intended to interconnect researchers and resources of research institutions, educational institutions, industry, and government in every state.

Prominent figures in the Information Systems (IS) industry have been propagating the need to integrate the information systems plan of a company with its strategic business plan. They have urged the executive level management to take an active part in charting the role of Information Technology (IT) in their organisation's present and future operations. The primary reason for this has been that the cost of data processing and communications has reached a critical level. A multi‐million pound operation cannot be run without executive systems direction and control. Without a common source, planning, implementation and measurement and control between various levels of management will be meaningless. Despite this, the management approach remains largely tactical, expense‐oriented and short‐sighted. Structures for strategic management of information systems and associated facilities have not yet clearly emerged. In an information systems environment, strategy implies plans, policies and commitment to use IT for exploiting business opportunities in order to achieve the corporate goals of an organisation. Because corporate objectives data, financial and budget data, resource usage, together with service and installations inventory data and personnel data already exist in computer‐readable form for large installations, this makes it easier to implement a computer‐based strategic installation management system.