Abstract

This exploratory study investigates the importance of strategic planning for information systems as an operational efficiency and competitive advantage for South Australian Universities. This paper represents a case study analysis covering the three Universities in South Australia for the year 2006 which include University of Adelaide, University of South Australia and Flinders University. Use is made of the eight tenets for successful Information Systems(IS) planning developed by Philip (2007) to test for IS planning for operational efficiency and competitive advantage of the three South Australian Universities. This will then help to identify whether operational efficiency or competitive advantage is the strategic IS goal of these selected Universities. Attention will be also given to whether there is a clear written plan of the IS objectives to the strategic plans of each University in the study. Within the eight tenets of Philip (2007), the study tests for the presence of exploitation and exploration strategies. Evidence suggests that the former is prevalent when operational efficiency is the major goal, whilst the latter is characterised by the need for competitive advantage. Measuring the extent of exploitation strategies and there effects on operational efficiency will be tested. The link between IS strategies and operational efficiency will be investigated as theory suggests that this will be the most probable outcome. The investigation will match its outcomes with that of Philip (2007) where evidence suggests that tenets 1-4, 6, and 7 are important for effective exploitation strategies whilst tenets 5 and 8 are key for exploration strategies. The primary purpose of the study is to test whether information systems planning in South Australian Universities promote operational efficiency and competitive advantage.