Strategic Information Systems Planning Research Articles

Towards formulating strategy and leveraging performance: a strategic information systems planning approach

Strategic Information Systems (SIS) are computerised information systems that align the use of Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) strategically with corporate strategies in organisations. This paper reviews the linkage of Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) to corporate the strategy formulation and performance measures, incorporating empirical findings acquired from an exploratory study of IS/IT practitioners in Hong Kong. The findings constitute the essential ingredients of the design and building of a generic SISP model and a series of implementation guidelines. Besides, useful data, information, rules and experiences acquired were incorporated into building a knowledge base for a prototype expert system, Expert Strategic Planner (ESP). The prototype system was developed to demonstrate how user organisations could redefine their businesses and leverage performance in the context of SISP. The 'Human/ESP' comparison on strategy choices of a selected firm was presented along with a discussion on the applicability of the SISP model and the possible directions for further research.

ERP implementation efforts at three firms

PurposeTo compare actual company ERP implementation practices with the prescriptions found in the strategic information systems planning (SISP) and IT‐enabled change management literature.Design/methodology/approachThe case study method is used to study ERP specification, selection, and implementation efforts at three companies. The main sources of data were structured face‐to‐face interviews with key personnel, and supporting internal documents provided by the study companies.FindingsAll three companies did an adequate job linking the ERP decision to higher‐level IS and supply chain strategies, although mid‐level managers dominated the strategic debate. However, two of the companies fell far short in the specification and selection processes, particularly with regard to achieving broad participation and managing stakeholder commitment. As such, these two companies missed an opportunity to think independently about their long‐term information requirements and capabilities, proactively manage the debate with the vendors, and obtain early buy‐in from key users.Research limitations/implicationsThe case study method limits the sample size, but allows more depth than would be possible using survey instruments or secondary sources. In time, follow‐up research will examine the ultimate success of the companies' efforts.Practical implicationsAn important insight is the importance of involving key users in the specification and selection process, especially when the new system promised radical change to current work methods.Originality/valueThis research provides a concise comparison of the ERP efforts across three companies, and pulls together the OM‐based ERP research, SISP, and IT‐enabled change literatures. It is suitable for practitioners and students, as well as researchers.

Information Systems Success in the Context of Different Corporate Cultural Types: An Empirical Investigation

Previous studies surrounding the DeLone and McLean model of information systems (IS) success have called for future research and further examination of its measure in different contexts. We draw from the literature on strategic IS planning and organizational culture to contextualize the DeLone and McLean model. There is some evidence that a high-quality information technology (IT) plan leads to system success; therefore, we empirically examine the inclusion of the IT plan quality construct as an antecedent to IS success. We also empirically examine the relationships among constructs in the model of IS success in the context of different corporate cultural types-entrepreneurial and formal. The results provide strong support for the research model and suggest that variations in IS success are explained by the quality of the IT plan and the corporate culture exhibited by a firm. We discuss implications related to our finding that IT plan quality has a greater impact on IS success in organizations that exhibit an entrepreneurial corporate culture than in those that exhibit a formal corporate culture. Furthermore, we discuss how the relationships in the DeLone and McLean model of IS success differ in diverse corporate cultural types and the meaning of these differences.

Is Infrastructure: The Influence of Senior it Leadership and Strategic Information Systems Planning

The integration of information systems (IS) across the entire enterprise has become one of the most important technology management challenges in complex organizations. Many companies have placed the development and implementation of a highly integrated IS infrastructure among the top concerns of their overall IT management practice. This paper reports on an empirical investigation of the influence of senior IT leadership and strategic information systems planning (SISP) on the level of implementation of the IS infrastructure. The resulting model shows the importance that SISP plays in the relationship between senior IT leadership and the extent of an integrated IS infrastructure. The findings indicate a moderate relationship between the factors of senior IT leadership (the importance of the CIO and the presence of a varied IS advisory committee) and SISP, and a strong relationship between SISP and three aspects of IS infrastructure (technical integration, application functionality, and data integration).

Incremental and Comprehensive Strategic Information Systems Planning in an Uncertain Environment

Strategic information systems planning (SISP) is a critical challenge for organizations. Some researchers have suggested that more incremental SISP in an uncertain environment produces greater planning success, while others have suggested that more comprehensive SISP does so in that environment. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of incremental versus comprehensive SISP on SISP success in environments of varying uncertainty. A questionnaire defined SISP in terms of characteristics of incremental and comprehensive planning. It measured environmental uncertainty in terms of 1) the changeability and unpredictability components of dynamism, 2) heterogeneity, and 3) the scarcity and competition components of hostility. It assessed planning success as a second-order construct composed of alignment, analysis, cooperation, and capabilities. A postal survey collected data from 161 IS executives. The constructs were extensively validated. In general, greater SISP comprehensiveness predicted greater SISP success. Greater changeability and unpredictability, however, weakened the impact of such SISP on success. On the other hand, as the environment became more competitive, more comprehensive SISP led to greater SISP success. These findings contribute by suggesting that planners should expect comprehensive SISP to be less effective as changeability and unpredictability increase, but more effective as competition increases

Federal Government Policy and Community Objectives in Regional Telecommunications: A SISP-Based Study of Ballarat

The decline of regional Australia in terms of wealth and population during the two decades since 1980 has compelled the Federal Government to intervene. In 1997 the Australian Federal Government devoted in excess of $A460 million to a grant award scheme called the Regional Telecommunication Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) in which regional communities identified local telecommunication problems and applied for funds to correct them. Our project examines, through the lens of a conceptual framework extended from and informed by Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP), the effectiveness of the mechanism of this and similar schemes. The primary purpose of this paper is to present a study of the experience of Ballarat in relation to the Australian RTIF programme.

The effectiveness of strategic information systems planning under environmental uncertainty

Researchers have suggested that more extensive strategic information systems planning (SISP) in an uncertain environment produces greater planning success. Managers must decide whether, and if so when, to perform such SISP. Our study tested the effect of SISP phases on planning success in more and less uncertain environments. A questionnaire assessed SISP in terms of strategic awareness, situation analysis, strategy conception, strategy formulation, and strategy implementation planning phases. It inquired about environmental uncertainty as dynamism, heterogeneity, and hostility. Finally, it measured SISP success as a composite of alignment, analysis, cooperation, and capabilities. One hundred and sixty-one IS executives provided data in a postal survey. More extensive strategy formulation uniformly predicted successful planning in more uncertain environments, whereas strategic awareness generally predicted it in less uncertain ones. Strategy conception predicted it in neither more nor less uncertain environments. More extensive planning is thus not uniformly successful in either environment but depends on the nature of the uncertainty.

The effectiveness of strategic information systems planning under environmental uncertainty

Researchers have suggested that more extensive strategic information systems planning (SISP) in an uncertain environment produces greater planning success. Managers must decide whether, and if so w...

Aligning the information security policy with the strategic information systems plan

Two of the most important documents for ensuring the effective deployment of information systems and technologies within the modern business enterprise are the strategic information systems plan (SISP) and the information security policy. The strategic information systems plan ensures that new systems and technologies are deployed in a way that will support an organisation's strategic goals whilst the information security policy provides a framework to ensure that systems are developed and operated in a secure manner. To date, the literature with regard to the formulation of the information security policy has tended to ignore its important relationship with the strategic information systems plan, and vice versa. In this paper we argue that these two important policy documents should be explicitly and carefully aligned to ensure that the outcomes of strategically important information system initiatives are not compromised by problems with their security.

Environmental assessment in strategic information systems planning

Environmental assessment (ENVA) is expected to increase the chances of achieving strategic information systems planning (SISP) objectives. Such planning characteristics as the initiator of the SISP study, the study's planning horizon, its scope, and information systems department participation in long-range, business planning have been suggested as influences on the ENVA performed in SISP. This study employed a postal survey to investigate those predictors of ENVA and the impact of that assessment on the achievement of SISP objectives. It obtained responses from 105 corporate information systems planners. The study confirmed the effects of ENVA on the achievement of objectives, and those of initiator and IS department participation on assessment. Future researchers may want to investigate the predictors of the initiator and IS department participation as well as why scope and planning horizon did not lead to ENVA. Practitioners may want to encourage top management to initiate SISP studies and to include the IS department in the business planning.

The effect of top management support of SISP on strategic IS management: insights from the US electric power industry

Strategic IS planning (SISP) is a fundamental tool of strategic IS management. Top management support of SISP, however, is often weak or absent. The association between this support and strategic IS management is important to an understanding of top management's role in the use of what has been acknowledged as a strategic tool. Strategic use of IS in US electric power companies is noteworthy because the industry is transitioning into a deregulated environment with increasing hostility and can provide special insights not available elsewhere. A postal survey of CIOs and other members of top management from 161 US companies, including 21 electric utility companies, revealed that top management support of SISP is strongly and significantly associated with strategic IS management. Top management support for SISP was present for both electrics and non-electric companies but results were mixed. CEOs exhibited only moderate participation in SISP although such participation was positively and strongly associated with strategic IS management. Overall, results suggest that top management support of SISP may increase when an industry transitions to a more hostile environment. Prescriptions are offered for improving top management support.

Testing and Extending Theory in Strategic Information Systems Planning Through Literature Analysis

Strategic information systems planning (SISP) has been a perennial concern to information systems managers for the past two decades, and much research effort has been devoted to studying it. SISP has been theorised in terms of an input-process-output model, with well-defined components, and a set of hypotheses to be tested. Based on this theoretical framework, a literature review of research over the past decade is undertaken. The analysis reveals the extent to which the various components and hypotheses within this framework have been researched, as well as identifying additional hypotheses that are suggested from the literature.

An empirical evaluation of stages of strategic information systems planning: patterns of process design and effectiveness

While much has been written about strategic information systems planning (SISP), two important aspects have been under-emphasized. The first is the planning process or how planning is accomplished. The second is planning evolution or how planning evolves as a learning system. Both perspectives can provide practical guidance on how organizations will change their planning process over time in an attempt to improve their effectiveness as well as leverage their investment in SISP. This paper draws on prior literature to identify key dimensions of SISP and its effectiveness. The evolution of these dimensions is studied as a three-stage model. The results provide an interesting insight into how planning evolves as organizations reconcile seemingly contradictory “rational” and “adaptive” dimensions of planning. This balanced approach to planning is shown to be more effective, providing strong implications for both research and practice.

The strategic planning of health information systems in New Zealand: a telemedicine perspective

This research reviews the strategic planning of health information systems in New Zealand. This step is deemed necessary in order to identify key accelerators and impediments that could influence technology adoption and success in healthcare organisations in New Zealand. Such a review could be the foundation of a strategic framework to introduce new innovations in healthcare, such as telemedicine. This research introduces the telemedicine technology as one possible solution to provide integrated, continuous, quality, and immediate medical care to rural patients and to encourage networking amongst the different hospitals in New Zealand. This research provides different details pertaining to this emerging technological innovation in the 1990s. The research suggests that certain issues need to be addressed first before telemedicine benefits could be realised in healthcare delivery in New Zealand. Implementing comprehensive cost - benefit analysis and identifying the benefits sought from adopting telemedicine are some of the suggested solutions in this research. The New Zealand context is unique and this perspective with respect to telemedicine adoption and success is addressed in this research.

The impact of industry contextual factors on IT focus and the use of IT for competitive advantage

Only limited empirical evidence has confirmed the effectiveness of strategic information systems planning (SISP) and there is no evidence that investment in mission-critical systems leads to improved performance under conditions of environmental uncertainty and information intensity. This study tests the extent to which such contextual factors impact business dependence on IT and two SISP practices: IT participation in business planning and the alignment between the IT and the business plans. It also examines the influence of IT dependence and SISP on the use of IT for competitive advantage. Using structural equation modeling on postal survey data from 161 firms, it found a positive and significant impact of the contextual factors on business dependence on IT and the two SISP practices and between these factors and the use of IT for competitive advantage. Data also revealed significant differences between industry types and environmental uncertainty but not information intensity. Implications are discussed.

Strategic information systems planning: too little or too much?

Strategic information systems planning (SISP) is a key concern facing top business and information systems executives. Observers have suggested that both too little and too much SISP can prove ineffective. Hypotheses examine the expected relationship between comprehensiveness and effectiveness in five SISP planning phases. They predict a nonlinear, inverted-U relationship thus suggesting the existence of an optimal level of comprehensiveness. A survey collected data from 161 US information systems executives. After an extensive validation of the constructs, the statistical analysis supported the hypothesis in a Strategy Implementation Planning phase, but not in terms of the other four SISP phases. Managers may benefit from the knowledge that both too much and too little implementation planning may hinder SISP success. Future researchers should investigate why the hypothesis was supported for that phase, but not the others.

Key Issues in Information Systems Management: A Comparative Study of Academics and Practitioners in Thailand

This study was designed to examine the information systems (IS) key issues in Thailand by comparing IS academics and practitioners within the country, and by comparing Thailand as a whole with other developed and developing countries. The economic development based on GDP per capita was used to classlfj, the developed and developing countries. The Q-Sort method, a ranking technique, was used to rank the IS key issues. The data were collected through an Internet survey website. The findings show that the issue of building information technology (Ig infrastructure was projected to be the top issue over the next three to five years in Thailand. The importance ranking of IS key issues in Thailand was similar to the studies from developed countries but dlflerent than the studies from developing countries. There was a signljkant dlflerence in the importance rankings of IS key issues between academics and practitioners in Thailand. However, they were in agreement on the first and second ranking IS key issues, which were building IT infrastructure and IS strategic planning, respectively.

Key predictors of the implementation of strategic information systems plans

Strategic information systems planning (SISP) is the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications that will assist an organization in executing its business plans and realizing its business goals. SISP is an important activity for information executives and top management. However, too often organizations fail to implement the recommendations from a SISP study. The SISP experiences of 105 experienced planners in this research used perceptual and objective measures to identify planning practices that predict the implementation of such plans. Deliberate planning for implementation during SISP presages that implementation whereas greater analysis of organizational needs may impede it.

Effects of organizational context and inter-group behaviour on the success of strategic information systems planning: An empirical study

The strategic value of information systems (IS) and the impact of information technology (IT) on business competitiveness has increased the need for effective strategic information systems planning (SISP). However, numerous strategic information systems planning methodologies stress the rational and formal aspects of organizational life, while ignoring the complexity of actual organizational situations which are characterized by human behaviour. Additionally, although numerous researchers have conducted empirical studies examining the relationship between various factors and strategic IS planning effectiveness, many factors have received little attention. This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyse the effects of organizational context and inter-group behaviour on the success of SISP. A survey of senior IS executives in Taiwan was used to test the relationships between the constructs in the research model. The results showed that certain factors relating to organizational context and inter-group behaviour influenced the success of SISP. Finally, the implications of this finding for IS practice and future research are examined.

Security of Organizations' Information Systems (IS) and the Auditors: A Schematic Study

The purpose of IS security is to protect an organization's valuable information and knowledge resources, such as information, data, hardware, and software. Over the past few years, the potential of criticality of information systems (IS) and its equally critical support to organizational activities to gain competitive advantage has been widely recognized. Competencies in the area of IS are becoming increasingly important (Quinn & Paquette, 1990) in business organizations. At the level of strategy, there is a genre of organizational activities dedicated to realizing this potential. It has been claimed that strategic IS planning can help an organization visualize the potential contribution of IS (Lederer & Gardiner, 1992). The purpose of this paper is to outline and review the organizational requirement of IS security vis-a-vis the strategic mission of the auditors and the entities. The entire discourse is based on the cause-effect analysis pertaining to the auditing best practices, cost effectiveness, and system owners' transgression of responsibilities beyond their domains. The concept of total and comprehensive approach with the need for periodical reassessment is described in brief and applied to show why and how IS security supports the mission of auditors and the owners. The concluding part of this paper revisits and identifies the impact of society-centric factors on IS security establishment and mechanism.