Customer Reviews

Managing Information Technology in Small Business: Challenges and Solutions

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a timely contribution to a niche issue that has been under discussion for the last few years. In addition to some meassurement tools such a frameworks, models, approaches for IT use measurement in small business, the book builds its wealth of knowledge on the basis of ample case studies from different countries.

At first glance, I must confess some relcutance to reading the book. A quick scrutiny of the contents and whereabouts of the contributing authors did show a strong Australian followed by Canadian dominance. This reality can however easily be overlooked once one does actually read the book. Contributions in effect come from Australia, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom, USA, Slovenia and Hong Kong. Most important of all perhaps is the fact that though country specific in some cases, the findings and conclusions are in fact quite generic and applicable at a global level.

If you are interested in knowing about the adoption, use, and management of IT in small businesses, then this book is for you. Detailed case studies present some key realities, challenges and solutions.

So many IT management books are focused on large enterprises that have dozens of IT staff members. Well the reality is that the greater majority of businesses are not that size. The greater majority of businesses are small. So when reading on IT department efficiency, the books are assuming I'm working for one of those large enterprises. Ironically, there are very few books on small business IT management. But this one is focused solely on small businesses.

The content inclued in here is all based on research. Therefore the conclusions made within this book are all based on research compiled from multiple small businesses across the globe. This book tackles numerous issues that small business IT staff face almost daily. As a small business IT professional, I found the book useful in giving information on how other small businesses are operating under the same particular constraints only small businesses face.

I give the content a 5 but the reading a 3. Becuase the book is based on a ton of research, it reads like a technical manual, spouting facts and figures left and right supported by chart and bar graphs. Of course that is what is expected with research projects, but it just makes for a hard and sometimes boring read.

Definitely recommend this book to anyone else who must struggle with the pecularities and circumstances that only arise in small business IT.