Abstract
Background: Lack of alignment or harmony between information technology (IT) and business imperatives continues to plague organisations despite decades of research. Strategic information systems planning (SISP) is the process of coordinating the relationship between IT and the business in order to steer alignment. Shared domain knowledge (SDK) is a factor that is posited as important for improving both SISP and alignment, which is theorised to be the main outcome of SISP. Objectives: The aim of this article is to examine the impact of SDK on SISP and alignment. Method: Data were gathered from management consultants in a large, global IT organisation, through the use of a structured questionnaire, and analysed. Results: It was shown that SDK positively influences SISP characteristics and the alignment outcome. Specifically, it was found that high levels of rationality in SISP positively influenced the intellectual dimension of alignment, whilst IT manager participation in business planning influenced the social dimension of alignment. SDK was found to have a bearing on all of the SISP characteristics measured (i.e. rationality, adaptation, business planning-SISP integration and IT manager participation in business planning). SDK was also found to positively impact both the intellectual and social dimensions of alignment.Conclusion: The implications of the findings are that fostering a knowledge sharing environment in organisations will help improve alignment, as well as the formal processes designed to steer alignment such as SISP.
Highlights
Strategic information systems planning (SISP) has been established as a core activity in the governance and management of information technology (IT) in organisations (Bechor et al 2010; Hayward 2013)
The findings suggest that organisations should focus on creating a knowledge sharing environment between business and IT and seek for ways to strengthen IS knowledge of business and business knowledge of IS
The target population of this study consisted of consultants from one large, global IT organisation, based at various customer sites around the world, who participated or observed the SISP in the company where they were based
Summary
Strategic information systems planning (SISP) has been established as a core activity in the governance and management of information technology (IT) in organisations (Bechor et al 2010; Hayward 2013). SISP is carried out in organisations primarily as a means to improve the level of alignment between IT and business strategies and objectives (Karanja & Patel 2012). Both SISP and business-IT alignment have been consistently ranked as key issues amongst IT managers globally, which highlights the importance of research into these phenomena (Luftman et al 2013). Strategic information systems planning (SISP) is the process of coordinating the relationship between IT and the business in order to steer alignment. Shared domain knowledge (SDK) is a factor that is posited as important for improving both SISP and alignment, which is theorised to be the main outcome of SISP
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