Data limitations can be overcome to move toward effective business system integration

Abstract

Investigation indicates that data quality and consistency issues will continue to be overwhelming impediments to the complete integration of all information systems in the current Information Technology (IT) environment. However, there is evidence that businesses can still move toward an effective Digital Business Design (DBD) by focusing on a relatively small number of critical success factors. The possible approaches to integration available in the current IT environment were reviewed to gain insight into candidate design bases available. The DBD implementations of sample firms were examined to explore what aspects of integration they considered in their implementations and whether or not they achieved significant levels of integration from a customer perspective. Based on these examinations, several key points that should be kept in focus when contemplating a DBD integration project were identified