Exploring the Influence of Executive Management Diversity on IT Governance

Université Du Québec À Montréal ,Sylvie Héroux,Anne Fortin

doi:10.4301/s1807-17752017000300007

Université Du Québec À Montréal , Sylvie Héroux + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4301/s1807-17752017000300007

Copy DOI

Abstract

As all organizations are attaching more strategic importance to information technology (IT), IT governance has gained researchers’ interest. In fact, a large body of literature focuses on firm-specific or executive management attributes such as leadership as determinants of IT governance. However, it is still relevant to identify other factors influencing IT governance. Since executive management demographics and demographic diversity have an impact on strategic decisions, we explore the influence of executive management diversity on IT governance. Results suggest that IT governance for a high educational-high tenure diversity profile differs significantly from that for a low industry-moderate tenure diversity profile and a high industry-low tenure diversity profile. Furthermore, IT governance structures differ according to executive management diversity profile more than IT governance processes and relational mechanisms.

Highlights

Information technology (IT) governance is considered a sub-set of corporate governance (Lunardi et al, 2014; Pereira & Mira da Silva, 2012; Webb, 2006)
Considering the abundant literature on the influence of executive management demographics and demographic diversity on strategic decisions, and the fact that, to our knowledge, no studies have been conducted on executive management diversity as an antecedent of IT governance, the aim of this study is to explore the degree of use of IT governance mechanisms across executive management demographic diversity profiles
The mean values for the latter profile (Gr3) are moderate-high, and moderate for the former (Gr1). These results provide evidence supporting Proposition 1; that is, that the degree of use of IT governance mechanisms differs according to executive management diversity profile

Summary

Introduction

Information technology (IT) governance is considered a sub-set of corporate governance (Lunardi et al, 2014; Pereira & Mira da Silva, 2012; Webb, 2006). As an integral part of corporate governance (De Haes & Van Grembergen, 2013; Mohamed & Gian Singh, 2012), IT governance is the responsibility of the board of directors and the executive (ITGI, 2003). It helps organizations manage risk from technology-related losses (Mohamed & Gian Singh, 2012) and determine whether they are getting value from their IT investments (Weill and Ross, 2004, in Bradley et al, 2012). Since organizations are increasingly relying on IT to enhance their business performance (Scheeren et al, 2013; Wilkin & Chenhall, 2010), IT governance has become an important strategic issue. It is relevant to examine factors that could influence IT governance

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion