ABSTRACT
THE MAJOR IMPACT OF GLOB ALIZ ATION on IT management has been a dramatic increase in the diversity of the IT systems, which have to be managed across the enterprise. Nowhere is this more dramatically illustrated than building and operating a global data warehouse (GDW), which involves the integration of a diverse assortment of separate source systems spread across the globe. This chapter will explore the tasks faced by IT managers working in a global environment by focusing in on the challenges they face when attempting to design, implement, and maintain a GDW. After briefly introducing the concept of a global data warehouse, and its application in the international environment, the remaining parts of this chapter will explore the impact of globalization on the various operational features of a GDW. Many of the issues raised are common to all IT managers working in a global environment, while others are specific to the GDW application.
