In their article “Core IS capabilities for exploiting information technology,” Willcocks and Feeny argue that firms that are successful in leveraging information technology (IT) as a strategic asset have certain core information systems (IS) capabilities. They identify six of these capabilities:

Strategic thinking: The ability to understand and articulate how IT can contribute to the overall strategy of the organization.
Business process redesign: The ability to use IT to re-engineer business processes to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Strategic partnerships: The ability to build and manage strategic relationships with IT vendors and other partners.
Effective project management: The ability to manage IT projects effectively, including scope, schedule, budget, and quality.
IT infrastructure: The ability to design, build, and manage a robust IT infrastructure that supports the organization’s needs.
Human resource management: The ability to attract, develop, and retain IT talent that can help the organization leverage IT effectively.
The authors argue that organizations that possess these core IS capabilities are better equipped to exploit IT as a strategic asset. They also note that these capabilities are interdependent and must be developed in concert with one another. Finally, they stress the importance of senior management support in developing and deploying these capabilities.