Integration process hasn’t been an easy task in the majority of organizations that have tried it. However, some of the companies have partly managed the process through amid struggle.
For integration to be achieved, a company or organization must be able to set up a good communication and information system to coordinate all its organs (Child, 2005, p. 79). Some of the already known problems in integration may be inconsistency that may result from the appropriate selection of standards while each station within the organization would have different designers for the systems which may be incompatible with other departments.Technological advancement sets back integration depending on the levels of the firm.
For example, the ‘CIMOSA Association,’ is trying the integration of its different enterprises. The problem that is facing them is their different decision making levels at particular enterprise, industrial level or in the standardization groups. Decision making at each level is done by the strategic alliance, market leader and interested parties in the group. The most striking problem is that the type of decision which may be done at consortia, consensus and dictation levels differ at many instances.
The firm is trying to design a compatible interface and reduce the level of variance in market. The association is working hard to create a standardization model although it still not applicable. They are also working on the formation of interoperable ICT system and finally the harmonization of all standards internationally. The way out to integration is the harmonization of all stations and redefining of the new status of the organization as well as the retraining of staff on the technological advances and the systems set ups.
