ABSTRACT
The competencies that an organisation needs to develop in order to acquire the capability to strategically benefit from information systems/information technology (IS/IT) fall under four main elements: people, process, work environment and IT infrastructure. Effective change to organisational culture and structure is considered to be an essential ingredient to IT. IS/IT systems are deployed in organisations either to support their business functions or to bring about innovation and competitive advantage. The picture becomes more complicated when IS/IT is considered. In the construction and engineering industry, investment in IS/IT over the years, has resulted in isolated applications, in various departments, taking place at various times. The strong relationship between business processes and IS/IT can influence the successful implementation of systems and therefore needs to be clearly understood and managed by organisations. Organisations can only utilise IT investments to achieve an innovative and sustainable business improvement and competitive advantage, if they create a work environment through their processes and people.
