The design, organization, and methods of strategic information systems : A study of the motor carrier industry

Because the motor carrier industry has undergone traumatic change in the last four years, deregulation, supply shocks, and other factors have brought about major changes in the manner in which carriers interact with their environment. The purpose of the research was to explore the way in which firms gathered and used information for strategic decisions, and to prescribe means for developing strategic information systems in the industry.

Through interviews with 62 managers and executives in 22 firms, six areas were explored; a) the scanning areas important to the managers; b) the variables used in scanning; c) the satisfaction of the interviewees with existing systems; d) the software presently being used for strategy analysis; e) the integration of the computer into the strategic process; and f) the processes presently in use. Other areas were examined incidentally to these areas, including sources, key decisions, and the classification of computerized information systems.

The results were analyzed using qualitative and simple quantitative tables, which provided a foundation for creating two models. The first gives explicit guidelines for developing strategic decision profiles of customers, competitors, government, and the resources of the firm. The second places the strategic information system in the context of the environment and of the strategic decision process, including the role of the strategic informant.

For the industry, this research implies that more attention must be given to gathering strategic information, especially about customers. Many firms in the industry will have to reorganize to accommodate the increasing need for information processing through technological and human means.