Executive Information Systems: A Framework for Development and a Survey of Current Practices

Executive information systems (EIS) are now successfully providing computer support for senior executives in a growing number of organizations. Previous attempts to support senior executives are discussed with a focus on why these attempts failed and what was learned that should be incorporated in future efforts. An EIS development framework is presented that includes a structural perspective of the elements and their interaction, the development process, and the dialog between the user and the system. Survey data from 50 firms having an EIS are presented and discussed in the context of the development framework. While most of the findings confirm conventional EIS wisdom, others are somewhat surprising, such as the significant role that information systems management often play sin initiating the development of an EIS or serving as its operational sponsor. The findings lead to additional suggestions for EIS research opportunities, as well as predictions about the future nature of EIS.