The title of this book contains the word "politics" because this term describes, perhaps more aptly than any other, what information management is mostly about. Information management is the process by which those who set policy guide those who follow policy. Politics concerns power, and applying an understanding of power to the management of information technologies is not only appropriate, but timely. The proliferation of computers has now reached a stage of development where they are shaping relationships between suppliers and customers in business, as well as how public institutions relate to private organizations and individuals. Written by a former chief information executive (1956-1978) and vice president of strategic planning (1978-1985) for three large multinational corporations. Strassmann also served as chief information executive of the U.S. Department of Defense and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.

Part I: Governance. What is policy? -- Framework -- Definitions -- Roles -- Making policy -- Federation -- Architecture -- Organization -- Scope of a constitution -- Institutions -- Model constitution -- Concept of operations -- Standards -- Governance cases / Part II: Observations. Analogies -- History -- Privacy -- Security -- Reengineering -- Process improvement -- Software -- Reuse -- Learning -- Tools / Part III: Leadership. Objectives -- Roles -- Charter for the CIO -- Innovation -- Survival / Part IV: Recollections. Industry -- The road to CIM -- Implementing CIM -- The politics of CIM / Part V: Perspectives. Prospects -- Diversity.