Information technology (IT) refers to the management and use of information using

computer-based tools. It includes acquiring, processing, storing, and distributing

information. Most commonly it is a term used to refer to business applications of
computer technology, rather than scientific applications. The term is used broadly in
business to refer to anything that ties into the use of computers. Mostly businesses
today create data that can be stored and processed on computers. In some cases the
data must be input to computers using devices such as keyboards and scanners. In
other cases the data might be created electronically and automatically stored in
computers. Small businesses generally need to purchase software packages, and
may need to contract with IT businesses that provide services such as hosting,
marketing web sites and maintaining networks. However, larger companies can
consider having their own IT staffs to develop software, and otherwise handle IT
needs in-house. For instance, businesses working with the federal government are
likely to need to comply with requirements relating to making information accessible.
The constant upgrade in information technology, along with increasing global
competition, is adding difficulty and hesitation of several orders of scale to the
business and trade. One of the most widely discussed areas in recent business
literature is that of new organizational network structures that hold survival and
growth in an environment of growing complexity. Effective implementation of
information technology would decrease liability by reducing the cost of expected
failures and increase flexibility by reducing the cost of adjustment. The businesses
reaction to the environment remains to be the vital determinant for its effectiveness.
The capabilities and flexibilities of computer-communication systems make them
gradually more appropriate to businesses by being able to respond to any specific
information or communication requirement. Information Technology is having impact
on all trade industries and businesses, in service as well as in manufacturing. It is
affecting workers at all levels of organizations, from the executives to middle
management and clerks. Information technology is increasingly becoming a basic
factor of all types of technologies such as craft, engineering, routine, and non-
routine. The advances in Information Technology would result in remarkable decline
in the costs of synchronization that would lead to new, concentrated business
structures. It enables the business to respond to the new and urgent competitive
forces by providing effective management of interdependence. In the near future
businesses would be facing a lack and a redundancy of information called information
glut. To solve the information-glut companies will need to introduce methods for
selective thinning out of information. Improvements in telecommunications will make
it easier to control business units dispersed over different parts of the world.
Advances in telecommunications, would result in increased distance-communication.
Indirect communication would be preferred for well-structured information for
routine, preprogrammed and decision processes.

Most of the Information technology management programs are designed to educate and develop
managers who can effectively manage the planning, design, selection, implementation, use, and
administration of emerging and converging information and communications technologies. The
program curriculum provides students with the technical knowledge and management knowledge
and skills needed to effectively integrate people, information and communication technologies,
and business processes in support of organizational strategic goals.
1.Graduates will explain the important terminology, facts, concepts, principles, analytic
techniques, and theories used in the field of information technology management.

2.Graduates will be able to effectively apply important terminology, facts, concepts, principles,
analytic techniques, and theories in the field of information technology management when
analyzing complex factual situations.

3.Graduates will be able to effectively integrate (or synthesize) important facts, concepts,
principles, and theories in the field of information technology management when developing
solutions to information technology management multifaceted problems in complex factual
situations.

1. Introduction

In a recent survey article in The Economist, John Browning (1990) wrote:

"Information technology is no longer a business resource; it is the business
environment." His statement is not far from truth. Ongoing advances in
information technology (IT), alongwith increasing global competition, are
adding complexity and uncertainty of several orders of magnitude to the
organizational environment. One of the most widely discussed area in recent
business literature is that of new organizational network structures that
[supposedly] hold the promise of survival and growth in an environment of
ever-increasing complexity (Bradley, Hausman and Nolan, 1993; Byrne, 1993;
Davidow & Malone, 1993; Eccles and Nolan, 1993; Jarillo & Ricart, 1987;
Malone & Rockart, 1993; Miller, Clemons and Row, 1993; Naisbitt, 1982,
1985; Toffler, 1985). How can IT help the organizations in responding to the
challenges of an increasingly complex and uncertain environment? How can IT
help the organizations achieve the "flexible" organization structure? These are
the topics of discussion in this article.

We are observing a strong trend of convergence of the technologies of

computing and telecommunications (McFarlan and McKenney, 1983).
Changing technology economics, merging of formerly disparate technologies
with different managerial traditions, and the problems of managing each of the
phases of IT assimilation in different ways calls for a major reappraisal of the
organization structures designed for yesteryears.

IS researchers have expressed time and again that technological change poses
the greatest challenge to their research (cf: Teng & Galletta, 1991). Dickson
and DeSanctis (1991) mentioned that not much attention has been given to the
integration of technology or its use as a coordinating mechanism for
organizational units. It is our contention that IT should be studied as an
independent variable affecting the organizational structure. Huber (1990)
recommends a reassessment of certain components of organization theory
which are affected by the tremendous changes that have occurred in the
capabilities and forms of communication technologies. This article will attempt
to contribute to the development of these issues.

The article describes the open systems theory (Bertalanffy, 1950; Boulding,
1956) as one possible tool for organizational MIS research and practice, using
the issues of environmental change, organizational structure and organizational
interdependence to illustrate its use. The area of environmental change and
organizational IT response is an especially appropriate application area for the
open systems theory because, as this article describes, several critical issues can
be addressed by the open systems theory. An IS perspective on these issues is
given in section 2. A literature survey of the relevant issues in open systems
theory appears in section 3. The open systems theory is then applied to the
study of environmental change and organizational response in section 4.
Section 5 presents some limitations of the open systems theory perspective and
conclusions from this preliminary work.
Information Technology and Management has been accepted for Social Sciences Citation
Index and Current Contents/Social and Behavioral Sciences and will first appear with
an Impact Factor in the 2009 Journal Citation Reports (JCR), published in June 2010.

Information Technology and Management explores the many different technologies inherent in the field
of information technology and their impact on information systems design, functionality, operations, and
management. The journal takes a broad view of information systems as systems that not only include
machines but human beings as well. As a result, the journal is an important outlet for studies concerning the
man/machine interface, human factors, and organizational issues. Moreover, the journal explores the
managerial issues and the strategic issues that arise from the management of information technology.