An Exploratory Study into the Relationship Variables of Business Strategy and IT Strategy

This study examines the relationship variables of business strategy and Information Technology (IT) strategy from range of existing literature support. To widen and assist further research in contextually and empirically, systematic literature search with  mind-map was used to illustrate how these relationship variables are linked with IT strategy and business strategy. IT can support and shape business strategy and the way of  deploying  IT can become strategic when used in innovative manner. This study shows several associated variable/s which were strongly proved by exiting literature evidence with business strategy and IT strategy. This study found the  business IT strategic alignment is the key moderating variable for business strategy and IT strategy. Researchers and practitioners will benefit from this study's mind map in many ways. It facilitate them to formulate the hypothesis, conceptual model and structured equation model for their future researches. Keywords: Business Strategy, IT Strategy, Relationship Variables, Mind-Ma

Content characteristics of formal information technology strategy as implementation predictors in Norwegian organisations

The need for improved implementation of information technology strategy has been emphasised in both empirical and prescriptive research studies. In this study, ten content characteristics of formal information technology strategy are identified from the research literature as potential implementation predictors. These are descriptions of: i) resources needed for the implementation; ii) user involvement during the implementation; iii) analyses of the organisation; iv) anticipated changes in the environment; v) solutions to potential resistance during the implementation; vi) information technology to be implemented; vii) projects’ relevance to the business plan; viii) responsibility for the implementation; ix) management support for the implementation; and x) clearity of the documentation. The survey was conducted in Norway whereupon the return of 471 completed questionnaires resulted in a satisfactory response rate of 43%. Formal IT strategy was reported in 40% of these organisations. The two significant predictors in the testing of hypotheses proved to be description of responsibility for the implementation and description of user involvement during the implementation. Suggestions for further research are concerned with adding richness by searching for other explanations of IT strategy implementation beyond characteristics of the plan itself and including contingency variable

Strategic information systems planning (SISP) in Australia : assessment and measurement

Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) is an important activity for helping Chief Information Executives (CIOs) and top management identify strategic applications and align Information Technology (IT) with business needs. Like all strategic planning, SISP requires measuring how well SISP is done and how planning is improving over time. The measurement of these intangibles is a complex exercise. There have been few efforts undertaken in the Information Systems (IS) literature to formally develop a model for assessing and measuring SISP efforts. In this study, two models were proposed: a five-stage SISP maturity model for defining SISP maturity and another one for assessing the degree of SISP maturity. The five SISP maturity levels were defined as: Rudimentary Planning, Ineffectual Planning, Attainable Planning, Sustainable Planning, and Adaptable Planning. The assessment model was structured as a third-order system, where eight first-order dimensions were termed as Form and Content, Collaboration, Policies, Stakeholders' Designation, Knowledge Bank, Technology, Time Dimension, and Viability. The first-order dimensions were grouped into three second-order constructs, namely Effectiveness, Efficiency and Manoeuvrability, which ultimately characterise the level of SISP success. This model was used to establish a theoretical benchmark for each SISP maturity level. To model the level of SISP maturity, an 'Integral Engineering' approach was established and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) theory was used. The study is a novel approach in using ANP to synthesize the measures of the various SISP constructs into a single overall measure of SISP maturity level. A survey was performed and data collected from 260 Australian organisations to examine the degree of SISP maturity and the relationships among SISP constructs. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the fit between the hypothesized model and the survey data The models were applied to the data collected and the findings suggested that the models fit the data well. While Effectiveness and Efficiency are well recognised planning constructs, Manoeuvrability as a measure of planning dynamics is not acknowledged in the literature as an equally important construct. This study confirmed a strong correlation between Manoeuvrability and SISP success and found it to be more important than the Efficiency construct. The empirical data did not confirm the existence of Rudimentary and Ineffectual planning levels of SISP maturity Australia-wide. SISP maturity in the majority of Australian organisations is at Sustainable and Attainable planning levels. A small percentage of the surveyed organisations have actually reached the highest planning level (Adaptable planning). The empirical data showed that current SISP is lacking strategic dimension and that the recently popularised one-year planning horizon may not be the best choice. Australian organisations did not consider the strategic relevance of IT as the key objective. IT/IS was seen as a business enabler, thus the strategic advan tage associated with IT came as a secondary objective