| Summary: | This is a case study of Linkage, and the factors that influence the social dimension of
Linkage, as found in the Canadian Forces at the base, or business unit, level. In the course of this
study, eight Canadian Forces bases or units were examined to assess their current state of Linkage
with regard to Information Technology (IT) Management.
The Department of National Defence is a public service organization responsible for the
defence of Canada. Like many large organizations today, the Canadian Forces (CF), is faced
with budget cuts, and needs to downsize. There is an awareness within the CF that effective use
of IT is one way to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness in a time of cutbacks.
The traditional infrastructure of the CF has not kept pace with IT developments in
functional areas, such as within its own Administration Branch. An information handling crisis
is being faced by all Administration Branch personnel, and this situation is mirrored across other
branches of the CF. In the course of this study of the business unit level of the CF, it was
determined that Short and Long Term Linkage was influenced by Communication and Shared
Domain Knowledge factors. Research results also indicated that Success in IT Implementation
did not influence Linkage. Several other contributing factors were also identified, and a
Canadian Forces Information Technology Management Partnership System was proposed to
overcome these Linkage barriers.
The importance of effective management of IT cannot be underestimated. If effective
consideration of IT is made a part of the business planning process, Management Information
Systems (MIS) practitioners will allow businesses, including militaries, to extract the full benefit
and advantage from modern technological developments and procedures. Such is the goal of
MIS, and of this work.
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