Information systems strategy: Quo vadis?

This article is a personal retrospective which traces the evolution of information systems strategy (ISS) since it emerged as a topic in the late 1970s and considers the nature of organisations’ ISSs and how they have been influenced by the interplay of many factors over that period. In addition to responding to the rapidly evolving underlying technologies, ISS practice in organisations has had to deal with the combined effects of economic cycles and an increasingly global business context, which effect both the organisations themselves and the development of the IT industry. This article argues that the changing fortunes of the IT suppliers and their strategies are two of the most significant influences on organisations’ ISSs. The influence and contribution of academics and their research is also discussed. The study of ISS has largely followed practice and attempted to explain its nature, role and impact using contemporary theoretical paradigms but often based on relatively limited empirical data. In conclusion it is suggested that a new multi-centred, collaborative approach, involving both academic and practitioner experts to develop a comprehensive evidence base, would enable greater understanding of how the range of factors interact to determine the nature and value of ISS in 21st century organisations.