Information management infrastructure: the new competitive weapon?

Managers and researchers are beginning to realize that competitive advantage from information accrues from long-term investments in information management infrastructure. We survey many infrastructure building initiatives in firms to understand its importance as a source of advantage, what constitutes a good infrastructure, and how managers can successfully plan for infrastructure over time. We conclude that infrastructures must be built to support broad business processes, that they must advance incrementally, and that they must be driven both by technology developments and by specific business initiatives.<>