以社會系統觀點探討資訊系統發展的演進

Abstract

本研究根據Ackoff的社會系統觀點，分析1950至1990年代間資訊系統發展演進過程，提出資訊系統發展三階段的模式。根據資訊系統角色及使命的嬗變，資訊系統發展可以分成如下三階段：第一個階段資訊系統將組織視為機器，資訊系統的發展僅由資訊專業人員負責；第二個階段資訊系統將組織視為有機體，資訊系統依據所選擇的方法論發展；第三個階段資訊系統將組織視為社會系統，資訊系統應同時兼顧組織及元件的目的，同時資訊部門的資訊資源也可能是雙重的，一個是內部資訊資源，另一個是外部資訊資源。此外，在社會階階段有更多的發展策略可以選擇，本研究依組織對資訊系統發展的掌控程度，提出三種資訊系統發展的策略。符合策略是高度掌控的策略，由內部資訊部門負責開發，能夠符合組織時空背景的需求；跟隨策略是低度掌控的策略，由外部資訊部門負責開發，資訊系統的目標是由廠商所設計；適應策略是中度掌控的策略，由內部及外部資訊部門共同開發。 在社會階段的資訊系統發展，由於外在環境的資訊資源十分豐富，但內部資訊專業人力卻是更為缺乏，MIS部門面臨了更大的挑戰，同時也具有更大的機會。如何充分取得及運用內部及外部資訊資源來發展資訊系統，以創造資訊系統對組織更大的價值，是當代資訊經理人最大的挑戰及最重要的工作。為了有效引進外部資訊資源，在MIS部門需成立專案小組，具備引進外部資源的功能，以便收集、過濾及評估有關外部資源的資訊，作為資訊系統發展決策的參考。資訊人員須有系統思考綜觀全局的能力，整合企業內部及外部的資訊資源，創造更多的附加價值，以提升企業的競爭力。資訊經理人應在MIS部門引進內部競爭機制，以加速內部資訊部門的學習。透過外部資訊部門的競爭及引進各項創新的建議方案，從而提高其生產力。 關鍵字：社會系統、系統觀點、資訊系統、資訊系統發展、演進

This study p roposes a three-stage ISD model based upon Ackoff’s systems view to analyze the evolution of ISD from the 1950s to the 1990s. IS development was divided into three stages according to the changing roles and missions of the IS. For organization as a machine, IS are designed by information professionals. For organization as an organism, information systems are developed under the selected methodology of ISD. And for organization as a social system, IS would be dualistic where one for itself and another for its components, and IS departments also be dual where one is inward and another is outward. More ISD strategies are available in the social stage. The proposed model divides the strategies into three kinds by levels of control. The fitting strategy is a highly controlled strategy because IS is developed by an inward IS department and the IS can be designed to fit the organizational context. The following strategy is a low-control strategy developed by an outward IS department and the desired state of the systems are defined by vendors. The adapting strategy is a middle control strategy where IS is developed by both inward and outward IS departments. In the social stage ISD, inward IS professionals are scarce and the outward resources are abundant. Many challenges should be met and new problems resolved. Acquiring and utilizing both inward and outward resources for ISD to create more value is most challenging and important tasks for contemporary IS managers. The MIS department may set up outward functions to collect, filter and analyze information about outward resources to provide evaluation proposals and valuable information to support ISD decisions. MIS professionals need system thinking to help them to view the whole picture, consolidating IT to add more values to increase the competitive power of an organization. IS managers can also introduce an internal market economy mechanism for ISD to accelerate the learning process of the inward functions through more competition and innovative proposals from outward functions during the social stage. Keywords: Social systems, System view, Information system, Information system development, Evolution