ABSTRACT
Geographic Information Steering (GIS) has been regarded as a specialist sub-area of activity, distinct from the mainstream of Information System development. GIS has had its own literature and its own journals. This chapter considers the convergence of GIS with the mainstream Information Systems industry under three headings: technological convergence, commercial convergence and organisational convergence. Convergence in computer technologies, commercial pressures and increasing corporate scrutiny will lead to GIS being integrated into the mainstream of corporate information technology. In the GIS field the reality of development situations both for users and development expert is often best described by the phrase ‘muddling through’. The more that GIS is understood to be a socio-technical enterprise, the greater the likelihood of success. The very availability of GIS functionality across corporate desk-tops will put into higher relief an issue which technology cannot address.
