Colin White has developed a framework for what he calls the "Smart Business" -- one that "exploits information technology to seamlessly connect people to the business processes and information they need to do their jobs, and make informed and timely decisions." He has developed these ideas about "levels of integration" in two working papers: Colin White (2004) Building the Smart Business. Business Intelligence Network. Retrieved February 27, 2008 from http://www.b-eye-network.com/view/446 Colin White (2004) An Integrated Framework for the Smart Business. Business Intelligence Network. Retrieved February 27, 2008 from http://www.b-eye-network.com/view/512 Here''s another interesting discussion of the same general issue -- namely, juggling criteria in IT management decisions: Keith R. Nelson and Richard W. Davenport (1995) Restructuring the Information Technology Organization To Improve User Services and Return on Investment: Do Compromises Work? In "Realizing the Potential of Information Resources: Information, Technology, and Services--Proceedings of the 1995 CAUSE Annual Conference," See pages 1-7-1 to 1-7-8 Retrieved February 27, 2008 from http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/CNC9507.pdf Draw from materials at the Background Reading Section and the three articles here, compose a 3-4 page essay on the topic: "The stakes are expensive and serious, decisions are fluid and political. Under these conditions, can an organization make good IT management decisions ? If so, how?" In your essay you may wish to consider issues such as: • To what degree can issues regarding information technology be described in "objective" terms? What might limit this ability? • How would power and politics affect the implementation of an IT project? • Are there examples from your own experience or from the readings that you can use to illustrate the political aspects of organizational decision-making? Please note that these are not to be treated as questions to be answered with bullet points, but just as things to think about as you formulate your own ideas about the topic. Also note that this essay is by no means asking you to provide the one and only one answer. If you think that authors have gone too far in their argument or that there are weaknesses in their arguments, feel free to outline those objections in this paper. Please note that in supplementary reading of the background reading section, I intentionally include an article that has different opinion from the rest of the articles. Be sure to use appropriate referencing in your citations from the literature.