UBAFCD@TUCCVM.BITNET (08/04/87)
I'm a Ph.D. candidate in the U. of North Carolina Business School.
My research interest is management issues surrounding the introduction
of new technologies into organizations. For my current project I'm
looking at these issues for database machines (DBMs). I'd be very
interested in hearing from any of you who: have used/are using,
evaluated, or are vendors of DBM (or anyone else with an opinion, for
that matter). I'm trying to address issues such as:
(1) How did the idea of investigating (regardless of purchase/no purchase
outcome) the DBM come about in the first place (professional,
personal contact; trade show; ...)? Were these sources different than
for those in more "routine" purchases?
(2) Was interaction with the DBM vendors (hardware/software) more
"intense" (prolonged, closer, ...) than for more routine purchases
of a similar dollar amount? How did IS "sell" the DBM to top mgt?
(3) What kinds of applications were the DBMs first used for in your
organization (production, decision support, critical/non-critical)?
Did the "new tech" aspect of the DBM affect choice of application?
(4) What are the characteristics (size, profitability, history of
"innovativeness", industry type) of the org's that first acquired
DBMs? That acquired later? Why the difference?
(5) Recent articles in Computerworld have suggested that DBMs are a
niche technology/market that are likely to disappear once general
purpose hardware, OS, firmware become more functional. Agree?
Disagree?
Any comments, leads, etc. would be appreciated. Feel free to contact me
by voice, NETNEWS, or letter. Thanks in advance!
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Frank C. DiIorio
12A Carroll Hall
Business School
U. of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 962-2031 (office)
(919) 968-0471 (home)
BITNET address: UBAFCD@TUCCVM