A Theoretical Framework for Designing an Information System for Business Enterprises

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the importance of theory in Information system design. A business information system for business enterprises has to have firm conceptual background and theoretical framework if the rate of information systems failures is to be handled head on. This paper emanates from a recent Ph.D study in the University of South Africa in which a Business Information System Design for SMEs in Northern Uganda was designed. Based on that study it was discovered that many business information systems do fail because of a number of factors and prominent among them is the failure to follow well grounded logical steps in the IS design. This paper is therefore based on the literature review carried out and the authors’ viewpoint. This paper recognises the need for clear understanding of the value of information as an ingredient for productivity and gives the IS design strategy that any BIS designer need to adopt and follow. The failure of IS in most developing countries is worring. This paper highlights well established conceptual and theoretical grounding necessary for designing BIS.