A Balanced Orientation for the Information Systems Manager

The orientation of an information systems department is influenced by the emphasis shown in the manager’s activities. Each incident in the manager’s daily work is another bead strung on a necklace. The choice of what type of bead it should be is up to the manager. Every incident permits a choice of emphasis: either a systems professional or a user community orientation. Recent analyses suggest that a new breed of information systems manager must emerge for advanced systems in organizations. Some of these analyses emphasize the user view without pointing to the continuing need for systems competence. Lest the pendulum swing too far in the opposite direction by ignoring technical aspects, this analysis suggests that the emerging information systems manager must bring a “balanced” systems and user orientation to the position. In so doing, the manager establishes the organizational climate in which the information systems activity proceeds.