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Systems Analysts Emerge as Leaders: "Framing" through IS in Contemporary Organizations

Systems Analysts Emerge as Leaders: "Framing" through IS in Contemporary Organizations
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Author(s): Gayla Jo Slauson (Mesa State College, USA)and Chad Grabow
Copyright: 2002
Pages: 2
Source title: Issues & Trends of Information Technology Management in Contemporary Organizations
Source Editor(s): Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, D.B.A. (Information Resources Management Association, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-930708-39-6.ch193
ISBN13: 9781930708396
EISBN13: 9781466641358

Abstract

Today’s systems analysts serve as leaders in ways that managers and the analysts themselves may not realize. By controlling access, form, and distribution of information, analysts provide frames for people to organize and interpret much of the stimuli bombarding them. In their role as “framers”, analysts help shape perceptions of people in the organization and direct their ways of thinking about organizational issues. Managers may give analysts the authority to decide what a set of reports from a system will look like, which interfaces will be used, which data will be maintained or collected in a database, and what algorithms will be used for decision support. Delegating such tasks has far-reaching implications. Systems analysts and developers need to be cognizant of their leadership role in modern business. They must realize how their framing of information affects decision-making and shapes organizational culture. Curriculum for MIS (Management Information Systems), or CIS (Computer Information Systems) programs can and should be adapted to include projects and subjects to take students beyond an understanding of traditional management roles and skills. In today’s organizations, systems analysts require an understanding of how to use information systems to lead.

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