Information Integration and Information Strategies for Adaptive Enterprises

Enterprise information systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), have often been criticized for their rigidity. Alternatively, global, matrixed enterprises often follow a federated information systems approach. The first type of enterprises, which we call the standardized enterprises, lack flexibility, while the second type, which we call decentralized enterprises, lack visibility. To create what we shall call an adaptive enterprise the information systems strategy should achieve both these goals: visibility and flexibility. I discuss the problems associated with the lack of either of these two, and how information integration technology, within the enterprise application integration space, can lead to the creation of adaptive enterprises.