Title: Criteria for information technology investment

Authors: John Diebold

Addresses: Chairman, The Diebold Group Inc., 475 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016, USA

Abstract: The Chairman of Diebold Group Inc., USA, describes the results of research into the investment criteria for information technology (IT) and asks: Are strategic decisions based on inappropriate accounting conventions? Often investment in IT involves intuitive judgement or a ||leap of faith||, but is it possible to reduce the level of uncertainty involved? The issues are considered by reference to case studies, and also by reference to examples in the public sector, such as investments in large infrastructure programmes.

Keywords: investment criteria; information technology; IT investment; accounting conventions; software; American Airlines; Federal Express; Thrift Organization; McKesson Corporation; Boston Metal Products Company; RCA Videodisc; Johnson & Johnson; uncertainty.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1987.026145

International Journal of Technology Management, 1987 Vol.2 No.5/6, pp.583 - 595

Published online: 27 May 2009 *

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