Many experts believe that through the utilization of information technology, organizations can better manage social and economic change. This book investigates the challenges involved in the use of information technologies in managing these changes.

As the 21st century begins, we are faced with opportunities and challenges of available technology as well as pressured to create strategic and tactical plans for future technology. Worldwide, IT professionals are sharing and trading concepts and ideas for effective IT management, and this co-operation is what leads to solid IT management practices. This volume is a collection of papers that present IT management perspectives from professionals around the world. The papers seek to offer new ideas, refine old ones, and pose interesting scenarios to help the reader develop company-sensitive management strategies.

According to a recent United Nations report, the increase in power and functionlity of IT coupled with decreasing prices have contributed to rapid IT adoption and use in both developed countries and newly industralised nations of the Asia Pacific. Information Technology Diffusion in the Asia Pacific: Perspectives on Policy, Electronic Commerce and Education provides essential reading on IT diffusion in leading countries of the Asia Pacific. By focusing on some of the different applciations and implications of IT in these nations, contributions in this book deal with aspects of IT applications in the Asia Pacific countries, and ways that information technology can assist nations in dealing with technological and electronic growth and risks involved.

Current Trends in Data Management Technology reports on the most recent, important advances in data management as it applies to diverse issues, such as Web information management, workflow systems, electronic commerce, reengineering business processes, object-oriented databases, and more.

The power of modern information systems and information technology (lSIIT) offers new opportunities to rethink, at the broadest levels, existing business strategies, approaches and practices. Over the past decade, IT has opened up new business opportunities, led to the development of new strategic IS and challenged all managers and users of ISIIT to devise new ways to make better use of information. Yet this era which began with much confidence and optimism is now suffering under a legacy of systems that are increasingly failing to meet business needs, and lasting fixes are proving costly and difficult to implement. General management is experiencing a crisis of confidence in their IS functions and in the chiefinformation systems officers who lead them (Earl and Feeney, 1994:11). The concern for chief executive officers is that they are confronting a situation that is seemingly out of control. They are asking, 'What is the best way to rein in these problems and effectively assess IS performance? Further, how can we be certain that IS is adequately adding value to the organisational bottom line?' On the other hand, IS executives and professionals who are responsible for creating, managing and maintaining the organisation's systems are worried about the preparedness of general managers to cope with the growth in new technologies and systems. They see IT having a polarising effect on general managers; it either bedazzles or frightens them (Davenport, 1994: 119).

Organizations report that as much as 50% of investments in IS and IT solutions are judged to be outright failures or deemed highly unsatisfactory. Information Systems Innovation and Diffusion: Issues and Directions reports on innovation and diffusion research and presents theory-based guidelines that will increase the business value of IS/IT investments.

The Economics of Information Technology is a concise and accessible review of some of the important economic factors affecting information technology industries. These industries are characterized by high fixed costs and low marginal costs of production, large switching costs for users, and strong network effects. These factors combine to produce some unique behavior. The book consists of two parts. In the first part, Professor Varian outlines the basic economics of these industries. In the second part, Professors Farrell and Shapiro describe the impact of these factors on competition policy. The clarity of the analysis and exposition makes this an ideal introduction for undergraduate and graduate students in economics, business strategy, law and related areas.