McKesson Drug Company: A Case Study of Economost–A Strategic Information System

1 June 1988

journal article
research article
Published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Management Information Systems

Vol. 5 (1) , 36-50
https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.1988.11517815

Abstract

There has been considerable attention paid to competitive and strategic information systems. Few cases, however, have been studied and presented in detail. McKesson’s order entry and distribution system, Economost, is one of the most widely cited strategic information systems, with wide acceptance; nearly 100% of McKesson’s orders are entered electronically by customers. Impact on customers, and on McKesson’s costs, has been favorable and dramatic. Similar systems are now widely available from major competitors; the effect of such systems on the industry, and on industry consolidation, has also been significant. But differential competitive impact on McKesson is more difficult to establish.

Keywords

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:

Electronic markets and electronic hierarchies
Communications of the ACM, 1987
The Growing Risks of Information Systems Success
MIS Quarterly, 1986
The information system as a competitive weapon
Communications of the ACM, 1984