The process of IS investment analysis

Abstract

Although much has been written about the justification of Information Systems, little is known about how the process of IS investment analysis is performed locally. This is especially so in the local retail industry, despite Information Systems being its "bread and butter" for survival. We seek to present the theory behind this process through a review of the IS literature and the design of a composite model. The practical insights are examined through a case study on the Cold Storage Group Pte Ltd. In the process of reconciling theory with the practical findings, we uncover certain strengths and weaknesses of the local business practices. Local businesses are often found to be applying the techniques proposed in the literature, but usually subject to some modifications to suit the inherent nature of their business. As a result, we have come to appreciate that there is no hard and fast rules in evaluating, ranking and selecting IS investments in the business world.