Refers primarily to IS positions of System Analysts and Application Programmers.

Advantages of centralizing IS people

• Fosters professional identity
• Identifies clear career paths
• Ease of supervision and quality control
• Increased control over programming and systems standards
• Greater (and less costly) training
• More specialization and technical depth
• "Equal access" of IS to the whole organization
• Ability to pursue large and time-consuming projects
• Greater efficiency

Advantages of decentralizing IS people

• Fewer coordination problems with users
• Reduced communication difficulties with users
• Allows organization to grow (or shrink) without losing control
• Less specialization (more generalized IS people)
• More responsive and knowledgeable about user needs
• Promotes inter-functional "team" approach to problem-solving
• General Manager controls all needed resources (including information)
• Greater effectiveness

 - R Kulzick – 1/25/00 -