Definition of GIS: the manager's perspective

Abstract

Two perspectives of defining GIS are identified, namely, technological and organisational. The technological perspective is suitable to describe a GIS developed in a local GIS scenario as in the case of a GIS developed for a business process. The organisational perspective is better for a GIS developed in a global GIS scenario as in the case of a corporate GIS. Based on the limitations of the two perspectives identified, a model is developed to highlight the qualities of a corporate GIS from a manager's perspective. It is suggested that a corporate GIS is multi-element and modular in nature. It comprises four technological elements (data, standards, information technology and people with expertise) and an organisational setting. Each module of the GIS is defined by the role it plays, namely, infrastructure or business process. A corporate GIS is integrated through the development of a module of infrastructure GIS to support the various modules of business process GIS. The development of the different modules of GIS is significantly affected by the organisational settings. The significance of these qualities towards implementation of an integrated corporate GIS is discussed.