Objective and main results

This article discusses challenges of implementing strategic change associated with information system implementation and use. The concept of strategy blindness is used to describe the incapability of an organization to realize the strategic intent of implemented, available system capabilities.

Main findings:

• Intended strategic effects of information systems are not necessarily achieved when the IS has been successfully implemented (i.e. on time / at reasonable costs and accepted by users / embedded in organizational routines). Strategic intent is only realized when necessary organizational change has occurred.
• IT implementation ideals (e.g. risk avoiding) can run counter to necessities of implementation of necessary organizational change (which is associated with risk). An imbalanced focus on system implementation risk vs. strategic realization risk may cause strategic IS implementation to fail.
• The authors discuss how realization of strategic intent was hindered by mistranslation of intent, flexibility of the IT artifact, and cognitive entrenchment.

Summary of practical implications

The study shows that organizations seeking to implement strategic IS need to focus on three dimensions: 1) selecting system capabilities that align with and enable the strategic intent, (2) implementing the systems successfully within the organization, and (3) producing the necessary organizational change to allow the strategic intent to be realized. In doing this, organizations should pay attention to the factors contributing to strategy blindness (i.e. mistranslation of intent, flexibility of the IT artifact, and cognitive entrenchment).

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