As firms push rapidly into the business world of the 21st Century, the question has remained: how do firms measure returns from substantial investments in IT? Henry C. Lucas effectively answers this question by providing a creative and reliable framework for measuring the competitive advantages and profits gained through investments in state of the art information systems. There is value in IT, and it is possible to show returns, Lucas argues - unfortunately this value just doesn't always show up clearly on the bottom line of a ledger. In five expertly presented sections, he spells out exactly what businesses can expect from their IT investments. This is the first book to allow executives to see exactly how their IT investment can be expected to return value, thereby maximizing their advantages in an age of global competitiveness.