From Control to Drift: The Dynamics of Corporate Information Infrastructures

This Book Presents Six In-depth Case Studies Of Large Corporations Which Offer A Rich Picture Of The Main Issues Involved In Information Infrastructure Implementation And Management. Far From Being A Linear Process, The Use Of The Information Infrastructure Is In Fact An Open-ended Process, In Many Cases Out Of Control. Current Management Models And Consulting Advice Do Not Seem To Be Able To Cope With Such A Business Landscape. This Book Provides The Reader With Interpretations And Theories That Can Foster A Different Understanding And Approach. Thus, The Economics Of Standards, Complexity Theory, And Actor-network Theory Are Harnessed To Penetrate The Issues Emerging From The Case Studies And To Generate A New Conception Of The Information Infrastructure That Is Relevant Both For Researchers And Practitioners.--jacket. A Critical Review Of The Literature On The Management Of Corporate Information Infrastructure / Claudio U. Ciborra -- Globalization And 'risk Society' / Ole Hanseth And Kristin Braa -- The Economics Of Standards / Ole Hanseth -- Actor-network Theory And Information Infrastructure / Eric Monteiro -- Conservative Success : Organization And Infrastructure Evolution At Skf / Bo Dahlbom, Ole Hanseth, And Jan Ljungberg -- Infrastructure As A Process : The Case Of Crm In Ibm / Claudio U. Ciborra And Angelo Failla -- Who's In Control : Designers, Managers--or Technology? Infrastructures At Norsk Hydro / Ole Hanseth And Kristin Braa -- Infrastructure Strategy Formation : Seize The Day At Statoil / Eric Monteiro And Vidar Hepsø -- Global And Local Dynamics In Infrastructure Deployment : The Astra Hässle Experience / Antonio Cordella And Kai A. Simon -- From Alignment To Loose Coupling : From Mednet To Www.roche.com / Claudio U. Ciborra -- Postface : From Infrastructure To Networking / Bo Dahlbom. Claudio U. Ciborra ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.