Resumen
This article introduces the special section of the August 1998 issue of journal "Communications of the ACM," on the information system (IS) and economics which highlights the Internet economics, the business value of information technology, and advances in software engineering economics. The section is divided into three thematic subsections, focusing primarily on the practicality and managerial implications of recent research. Authors analyze if the new technologies that enhance buyer search capabilities for bargains on the Internet and enable electronic auction markets for sellers the weapons of a new digital arms race in business, in which each side is getting stronger. They focus on three aspects of markets: their role in matching buyers and sellers, the manner in which transactions within them are facilitated, and the nature of the physical, legal, and trust infrastructures they provide for commerce. Topics and issues examined in this section represent some of the current research at the intersection of IS and economics.

Resumen
This article focuses on maximization of the value of Internet-based corporate travel reservation systems. A major problem firms face when they invest in information technology (IT) is ensuring that systems they build and deploy will actually pay off. In the case of IT investments, it is always difficult to combine hard, tangible benefits with soft, intangible benefits. To prevent erroneous estimates for IT investment value, managers need to identify from the start what is the maximum value they can obtain, and what factors can diminish or erode that value. The research suggests that, in order to maximize the value of IT investments, managers need to understand potential value first, and then, through additional analysis, identify ways in which realized value is blocked for the organization. There are two categories of limits to value: first, the valuation barriers help senior managers to understand what value flows made possible by a technological innovation or a systems solution can be realized under the optimal conditions for implementation, and tone down overly optimistic estimates. Second, conversion barriers point out the resources and knowledge that need to be built or acquired in order to make the most out of the IT investment. In addition, attention should be paid to user adoption, without which the benefits of investment cannot be realized.