Abstract

The paper presents and discusses a case which shows the possibility of employing the results of theoretical research (namely some of the concepts elaborated by Claudio Ciborra in his “The Labyrinths of Information”) in changing human resources management and development, in fostering organizational learning, and in building an ICT management coherent with business goals. BAnCO (194 employees) is a supplier of outsourced ICT services for Italian regional and interregional banks which changed its ‘netsourcing’ business model (services rendered to a consortium of small client-owner banks of the ICT supplying company) to an ‘enterprise partnership’ business model, based on servicing both the client investors and external customers. To support the change in strategy, at the end of 1999 it launched a program that deeply innovated performance management (substituting the appraisal based on absolute judgment rating scales to one based on action plans), training activities (traditional classroom work was integrated by personalized, diffused learning centered on the evaluation of the competence requirements of roles), and communication and knowledge management (key competences were defined and up-dated through interaction between in-house experts and outside experts in the ICT and banking fields). The three main sections of the paper are devoted: (i) to illustrate the theoretical background explaining both Ciborra’s approach and the traits that in his view characterize an effectively managed organization dealing with ICT; (ii) to describe in depth the main areas addressed by the BAnCO program, how project work was conducted, and the outputs produced; (iii) to discuss the case and to comment on the results obtained. In sum, far from being a ‘model’ or a ‘guide’, Ciborra’s outlook seems to carry helpful “operational” indications when looking for ways to change business-as-usual for more effective and dynamic conducts.

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