Standards of ICT Governance: The Need for Stronger Epistemological Foundations in Shifting Sands

Abstract

Information communication technology (ICT) governance is a subset of the larger notion of “corporate governance”. As ICT issues become increasingly important and information becomes one of the most valuable assets of organisations, the sound governance of ICT becomes a major factor in organisational success. Standards such as the Australian New Zealand Standard on ICT Governance provide useful guidance to organisations about how best to meet their corporate and ICT governance ‘obligations. At the same time, notions of what is meant by corporate and ICT governance are rapidly evolving in Australia, the EU and US. New concepts, models, theories and applications of governance are emerging as various disciplines such as management, politics, law, sociology, psychology, economics, ethics and computer science contribute to the governance dialogue and debate. In response to such concepts, etc the discussion here urges clarity and common definitions concerning ICT governance. It also cautions against the uncritical adoption of standards. While standards may provide a rough guide for managers, there is a need to acknowledge the shifting epistemological sands and shaky logical foundations upon which much of the research and writing on governance are based. Stated positively, when definitions of ICT governance are clear and consistent and models and theories are sound, then a workable framework and quality standards may emerge to provide clearer and more reliable guidance.