Managing the crises in intranet implementation: a stage model

In the seventies, Nolan was the first to address the need for a descriptive stage theory concerning the planning, organizing and controlling activitie s associated with managing the organizational computer resource. The arriva l of newer technologies, such as those based on the Internet, calls for fre sh approaches in terms of their implementation and management. Intranet tec hnology, which is based on Internet technology, differs from other types of IT in terms of its characteristics, use and implementation. We propose a f our-stage model for intranet implementation and management. Each stage is p ortrayed by seven general characteristics. We propose that, in order to ens ure intranet institutionalization, three existential crises must be overcom e. First, if a sponsor does not nurture the intranet, it cannot evolve beyo nd its experimental beginnings. Second, if a critical mass of both users an d content cannot be reached simultaneously, the intranet will not progress. Finally, if the intranet remains uncontrolled, it will be perceived to be useless, and therefore users will abandon it.