ABSTRACT
Organizations and information technology (IT) have undergone signifi cant change at a rapid pace over the past 10 years. Th e pace of change is increasing in tempo and at the same time the global economy continues to diminish the autonomy and independent stability of local markets. Th ese changes, coupled with new concepts for managing global enterprise and the dramatic advancement of IT, combine to challenge previously successful business practices as never before. Although predicting the future of global business and the technology it will use in this century is certainly not something that can be done with certainty, we can proactively position ourselves to shape the future rather than be shaped by it. IT has become the critical ingredient in business strategies as both enabler and enhancer of the organization’s goals and objectives. Organizations must be positioned to take best advantage of emerging opportunities while also responding to the global requirements of the twenty-fi rst century.
