Introduction

Information Resources Development is a new frontier for organizations in Asia Pacific countries. In many cases, the expectation for information reports from external funding agencies and investor groups has been the primary driving force for the construction of information systems. While justification for capital investment in information technology remained the major challenge, management must overcome organizational inertia and the general deficiency in information literacy. The mingling of Western management approaches with regional administrative styles creates new dynamics for the management of information resources (Shea and Lewis, 1996; Raman and Watson, 1997). Western management theory considers information the lifeblood of organization. The sharing of information lubricates the interlocking divisions within the organization, promoting the effective achievement of organizational goals. Externally, information exchanges strengthen business relationships in a value chain, improving the competitive positions of business partners. In many regions of the world, information represents power; managers often try to accumulate as much of it as they can while denying access to others (Oz, 2002). The disclosure of information is considered a threat to the span of management control (Rocheleau, 1999). The strategic manipulation of information flow is frequently valued over the potential knowledge gain from the objective evaluation of organizational data. This chapter examines organizational dynamics and possible management solutions in the deployment of information system in a cross-cultural environment. User actions and their interpretation of data reports create challenges that demand the attention of information system managers and designers.