TOWARDS AN ECLECTIC APPROACH TO STRATEGIC INTER- ORGANISATIONAL SYSTEMS (IOS) MANAGEMENT - or how to act strategically in a turbulent E-business environment -

This paper presents an eclectic interorganisational-oriented approach to so-called strategic IOS management as an alternative to the more single organisation-oriented, linear approach of strategic information system planning (SISP). This approach is termed eclectic because it is based on a toolbox of mini theories integrating existing strategic (IS) planning and management theories. The core component of this approach is an “IOS scenario and strategic option generator” based on forcing relationships between interactive IT capabilities and so-called business impact areas in an inside-out analysis on the intra-organisational company level, and an outside-in analysis on the interorganisational company network level. These impact areas embrace, on a company level, (i) the internal IT service chain structure (IT chain focus), (ii) the value chain structure (value chain focus), and (iii) the competitive industry structure (value system focus). On the company network level they embrace, (iv) the inter-mediating support chain structure (support chain focus), (v) the interorganisational supply chain structure (supply chain focus) and (vi) the customer community structure (demand chain focus). This approach, based on the six “focussing devices”, has been explored in action research and experiments in student teaching projects. The preliminary conclusion was that the approach made involved stakeholders aware of possible strategic IOS options and scenarios; in other words it was a good starting point for an IOS strategy plan.