developing gis strongmanagementstrong strategies for an organization.pdfVIP

Journal of Housing Research • Volume 9, Issue 1 157 Fannie Mae Foundation 1998. All Rights Reserved. Developing GIS Management Strategies for an Organization Rebecca Somers* Abstract An organization’s strategies for managing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play a crucial role in the success of the technology within the organization. As with any technological innovation, the key factor in GIS success is how it is applied to solve the organization’s business problems. Corporatewide strategies to introduce, implement, and operate the GIS determine how well it serves business needs. This article addresses management and organizational issues associated with GIS technology adoption in complex organizations. I discuss issues related to managing the introduction and use of GIS and alternative strategies for integrating GIS into business operations. The article draws on a variety of experiences to highlight key organizational factors that must be considered when developing a GIS strategy. Keywords: Geographic Information Systems; Management; Technology applications Introduction The management issues related to introducing and implementing technology in an organi- zation are often more crucial to success than the technological issues. This is the case for many technologies, and it is particularly relevant for Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Several GIS characteristics differentiate it from other technologies and necessitate special- ized organizational and management approaches. These issues include the characteristics of geographic data and their role in the organization’s business operations, the current state of GIS technology and its future directions, the relationship of GIS technology with other technologies in the organization, and the multiuse nature of GIS data. When GIS is intro- duced into an organization, the organizational i