ABSTRACT
Developing expertise in and becoming comfortable with managing change can help information systems (IS) managers avoid projects that fail for nontechnical reasons—failures caused by people and organizational problems. To develop this expertise, there are some specific actions the managers can take. First, the manager must develop new skills and gain a new understanding of people issues. Second, the manager should embrace the people-centered organization model. People-centered organizations consist of seven interactive and interdependent components. Organization means not only the company but also each division, function, and team, because each of these organizations is itself people-centered and has its own seven components. When the IS and technology component is the focal point of the change, IS management must first use the people-centered organization model to align itself with the new technology. Employees must learn to value the technology, accept it as part of their working life, and integrate it into the mainstream of the organization.
