CAN GOVERNMENT INFORMATION-SYSTEMS BE INFLEXIBLE TECHNOLOGY - THE OPERATIONAL STRATEGY REVISITED

Recent failures of government information systems to achieve their obj ectives have highlighted the risk involved in large-scale information technology projects. This article looks at one example, the computeriz ation of the UK social security system, in the light of recent discuss ions of large-scale technologies and the particular problem of inflexi ble technologies as defined by Collingridge. It is argued that large-s cale government computing projects can fit the criteria of inflexible technologies, although this is not an inherent feature of information technology. There are always more flexible alternatives available: thi s is illustrated using examples from both private and public organizat ions.