J&ftcY HD28 .M414 rvo.lH-2-2. THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUNCTION IN THE YEAR 2000: A DESCRIPTIVE VISION Robert Benjamin Jon Blunt March 992 1 WP CISR No. 233 WP Sloan No. 3422-92 Centerfor Information Systems Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139 THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUNCTION IN THE YEAR 2000: A DESCRIPTIVE VISION Robert Benjamin Jon Blunt March 1992 WP CISR No. 233 WP Sloan No. 3422-92 ®1992 R. Benjamin, J. Blunt Center for Information Systems Research Sloan School of Management Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Information Technology Function In The Year 2000: A Descriptive Vision Abstract This paper provides a descriptive scenario of the Information Technology (IT) function in the year 2000. Starting with fundamental technology drivers, it examines how application characteristics, application development, the economics of the IT function, and IT organizations may change. It then examines critical issues the IT executive will have to address to arrive at a satisfactory year 2000 future state. Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank Jim Emery for his thoughtful comments, and Judith Quillard for both her thoughtful comments and her insightful editing suggestions.