Making IT global – what facility management brings to the table?

What is it about?

The publication investigates the necessity of introducing a systematic integrative approach by a national company for the Global System Development and approaching the issues emerging in a multinational context. The study is based on Participatory Action Research. The research method used aims to resolve practical problems while expanding scientific knowledge and provides one potential method for improving the practical relevance of IS research. This research delivers two goals: (1) the project team was able to address how the IT solutions of a relatively small business were forced to adapt in response to the growth and internationalization of the company; (2) the authors established the kind of requirements development policy that IT evolution and business strategy would need to conform to if a system for global service maintenance was in place. The research process made it clear that the expansion lies not only in improving global functionalities, but in the alignment of the business for international information technology while not limiting organizational options as well. Such alignment requires a mutual understanding of the company’s overall global strategy.

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Why is it important?

The literature highlights four approaches for internationalization – i.e. Independent Global IT Operations, Headquarters-Driven Global IT, Intellectual Cooperation in Global IT and Integrated Global IT. The current study revealed that even with the global strategy and global information system in place, repeatable processes must be adapted to the specific needs of both the customer and the country. While the fulfillment of local needs is characteristic for multinational businesses, a mixed Global/Multinational model can be considered not as temporary, but as the target business model. Secondly, we extend the commonly acknowledged global IS problems with currency, time zones, languages and regulations by adding the urgent need for a “global view” of both the data and processes that even occur in different geographical locations. Research brings up the cultural differences between developed and developing markets regarding providing a Facility Management service.