Development Scenarios for Organizational Memory Information Systems

• Published in: Journal of management information systems Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 121 - 146
• Main Author: Wijnhoven, Fons
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.07.1999; M. E. Sharpe; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Broadcasting; Computer memory; Explicit knowledge; Information management; Information storage and retrieval systems; Information systems; information systems development scenario; information systems project management; Information technology; Infrastructure; Knowledge management; Memory; memory codification; Observational research; OMIS infrastructure; OMIS superstructure; organizational memory information systems; process scenarios; Project management; situated systems development; Studies; Superstructures; Systems development
• ISSN: 0742-1222; 1557-928X
• DOI: 10.1080/07421222.1999.11518236

Well-managed organizational memories have been emphasized in the recent management literature as important sources for business success. Organizational memory information systems (OMIS) have been conceptualized as a framework for information technologies to support these organizational memories. OMIS development may include several projects and may take many years. This paper classifies and analyzes OMIS development scenarios to provide guidance and support for OMIS development. This includes the definition of the roles of participants, a work schedule, and a definition of deliverables and deadlines. The mostly evolutionary nature of OMIS development requires that the results of these steps be monitored and adjusted when needed. Furthermore, a contingency framework and eight rules have been hypothesized, partially based on ex-post analysis of three cases (Veronica Broadcasting, Andersen Consulting, and Nationale-Nederlanden General Insurances). The paper provides concepts and a framework that may be an aid to research on refining the rules for analysis and design of OMIS.