Strategies for global information systems development

Developing global information systems is a formidable task. Multinational companies operate in regions that are thousands of miles, many time zones, and many cultures away from headquarters. Organizing the activities and aligning the tasks and mindsets of people that are so far apart and to change the way that business is conducted through the use of IS is a major challenge. This study discusses alternative global IS development strategies and the factors that impact their selection. Four systems from a large transportation company are presented as real life examples to demonstrate the viability of these strategies and the accompanying factors.