Abstract
A preliminary field study of MIS and non-MIS (general) managers was undertaken; it was designed to identify those factors which the MIS management and the general management perceived as important in aligning MIS with business goals of their organizations. The results are based upon a questionnaire study conducted in 1987. This involved managers/executives in a large metropolitan city in the southwestern U.S.A. The three most important factors which MIS management identified are: educating upper management in MIS, upper management commitment to MIS, and a strong set of organizational goals and objectives concerning MIS. On the other hand, the top three factors identified by general managers are: educating upper management in MIS, ability of MIS management to keep up with advances in information technology (IT), and educating MIS management in business goals and objectives. While upper management commitment is deemed critical by both groups in aligning MIS with their organizations' business goals, there is lack of agreement on the other issues. These issues are identified so that all management can take actions to achieve the alignment between the management information function and the business goals and objectives of the organization.