Information Productivity: Assessing Information Management Costs of U. S. Corporations

Rating:
Summary: Report Card for CIOs: D- InfoTech is NOT Profit-Maker
Review: Paul documents the fact that "a very large share of U.S. industrial firms are not productive in terms that apply to the information age." He evaluates and ranks 1,586 firms, and the results are both surprising and valuable.

Rating:
Summary: Report Card for CIOs: D- InfoTech is NOT Profit-Maker
Review: Paul documents the fact that "a very large share of U.S. industrial firms are not productive in terms that apply to the information age." He evaluates and ranks 1,586 firms, and the results are both surprising and valuable.

Rating:
Summary: Clearly well researched, relevant & absorbingly interesting.
Review: Very readable, holds attention from front to back. Excellent content, thought provoking, clearly well researched and obviously considerable original intellectual input.

This is, however, a statisticians dream. This is like a highly refined diagnostic tool for a disease for which the cure appears elusive. The text even implies that no obvious cures are on the horizon. The author humbly provides the diagnostic tools but leaves the reader to take the steps in finding the appropriate medicine. But this is not a fundamental flaw.

We know that the quantitative view of information productivity is vital for clarity and repeatability of subsequent activities. However, the best part of the quantitative approach through information productivity is its ability to compare performance from company to company, and from time to time. It puts a very effective 'stake in the ground'. Its inability to assist in identifying all the causes will require some creative activity.

Even in its slightly imperfect form (from my perspective) it impresses. I believe this is a seminal work. It contains much research that will provide valuable input into corporate improvement.

Much ground has been covered that will not need re-covering; many conclusions have be drawn that will not need re-drawing; many blind-alley's have been identified that won't waste people's time in future. I am sure many decisions will be made from this that won't need tiresome re-making.