This paper describes the idiosyncracies of a case study company, through highlighting issues and problems
experienced during their attempts to evaluate, implement and realise the holistic implications of a manufacturing
information system. Although the Information System (IS) was operational for a period of time, it
was eventually deemed a failure. The reason for this was that a range of human and organisational factors
prevented the organisation from embracing the full impact of the system. The eventual success of their
information system was realised through a bespoke implementation, based upon a traditional systems development
lifecycle that indirectly addressed learning issues following the earlier failed deployment. The
paper highlights key issues relating to business success and failure, and then contrasts them alongside the
presented case study. In doing so, the authors conclude by proposing methods through which manufacturing
information systems can be transformed for business success. This is described achievable through both a
realisation in the positioning of the organisation relative to technology management, and the related mapping
of human and technological constructs that support information systems related succes
