The sign of a smart decision about information systems isn't based on technical details alone; it's based on how well that decision contributes to the overall success of the business. To obtain pay off, from investing in information systems, requires a truly managerial perspective about IS. In Paul Gray's Manager's Guide to Making Decisions About IS you'll learn how IS can help the organization as a whole, and how to make key decisions on whether to undertake, upgrade, or outsource large software systems. You'll also learn about how IS is used for all aspects of a business-from recording individual transactions to gaining competitive intelligence to business strategy. The Manager's Guide to Making Decisions About IS first focuses on big picture issues, such as hardware, software, and the Internet; strategic uses of IS; aligning IS with the business; types of applications; and inter-organizational systems. Gray then provides you with essential knowledge that will help you make informed decisions on big-ticket applications, including electronic commerce, enterprise requirements planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), data warehousing, knowledge management, and business intelligence. Finally, the Manager's Guide to Making Decisions About IS examines the IS issues that managers are currently facing in today's business, including outsourcing, systems integration, supply chain, people issues, mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure, and privacy, security, and ethics.