Information Technology Strategic Alignment

Author(s):  
Fernando J.B. Laurindo ◽  
Marly M. de Carvalho ◽  
Tamio Shimizu

This chapter presents a study about the effectiveness of Information Technology (IT) applications in Brazilian companies. IT has been considered a strategic issue for successful companies. On the other hand, the discussion about the results of Information Technology (IT) applications considering the return over the investments and the effectiveness of their management still remains controversial. Effectiveness evaluation allows strategic alignment between IT and company business visions and should be analyzed as a continuous process. In order to discuss these issues, in this chapter, a comparative analysis about IT strategic impacts is performed using different theoretical models. The study is based on multiple cases: financial services, telecommunications, and building materials companies. Interviews with the main actors from different levels of the organization hierarchy have been done.

Author(s):  
Fernando José Barbin Laurindo

Information technology (IT) has assumed an important position in the strategic function of the leading companies in the competitive markets (Porter, 2001). Particularly, ecommerce and e-business have been highlighted among IT applications (Porter, 2001). Two basic points of view can be used for understanding IT’s role: the acquisition of a competitive advantage at the value chain, and the creation and enhancement of core competencies (Porter & Millar, 1985; Duhan, Levy, & Powell, 2001). Several problems have been discussed concerned with IT project results in effectiveness of their management. Effectiveness, in the context of this article, is the measurement of the capacity of the outputs of an information system or of an IT application to fulfill the requirements of the company and to achieve its goals, making this company more competitive (Shimizu, Carvalho, & Laurindo, 2006). There is a general consensus about the difficulty of finding evidence of returns over the investments in IT (the “productivity paradox”), even though this problem can be satisfactorily explained (Farrell, 2003). Carr (2005) defends the idea that IT in itself has no more strategic value, since it is so widely disseminated that it could not be a source of strategic differentiation anymore. In order to better use these investments, organizations should evaluate IT effectiveness, which allows the strategic alignment of objectives of implemented IT applications and their results with the company business vision (Shpilberg, Berez, Puryear, & Shah, 2007; Laurindo & Moraes, 2006). Besides, it must be highlighted that if IT applications are associated with changes in business processes, it is possible to notice greater impacts in business performance (Farrell, 2003). According to Benko and McFarlan (2003), three aspects must be taken into account about IT strategic alignment: IT projects portfolio, business objectives, and the constantly changing situation of business environment. Thus, the comparison and evaluation of business and IT strategies and between business and IT structures must be a continuous process, since the company situation is constantly changing to meet market realities and dynamics.


Author(s):  
Marly M. de Carvalho ◽  
Fernando J.B. Laurindo ◽  
Marcelo de Paula Pessoa

This chapter focuses on applying the best practices in Information Technology (IT) project management in Brazil. The theoretical models adopted to discuss this issue are the Capability Maturity Model - CMM (Humphrey, 1989; Paulk et al., 1995), Project Management Maturity Model – PMMM (Kerzner, 2000 and 2001); the Project Management Body of Knowledge - PMBoK (PMI, 2000), and Quality Systems for software - ISO9000-3 (2001) and ISO 12207 (1995). Several problems have been discussed regarding the efficiency of IT projects. Evaluation of efficiency is a controversial issue, and meeting project efficiency goals involves balancing scope expectations and the available resources. This chapter presents IT project cases in Brazilian companies and a comparative analysis of their IT projects management models. The study is based on multiple cases: financial services, telecommunications and building materials companies. Interviews with the main actors from different levels of the organisational hierarchy have been done.


Author(s):  
Fernando Jose Barbin Laurindo ◽  
Marly Monteiro de Carvalho ◽  
Tamio Shimizu

Information technology (IT) has assumed an important position in the strategic function of the leading companies in the competitive markets (Porter, 2001). Particularly, ecommerce and e-business have been highlighted among IT applications (Porter, 2001). Two basic points of view can be used for understanding IT’s role: the acquisition of a competitive advantage at the value chain, and the creation and enhancement of core competencies (Porter & Millar, 1985; Duhan, Levy, & Powell, 2001). Several problems have been discussed concerned with IT project results in effectiveness of their management. Effectiveness, in the context of this article, is the measurement of the capacity of the outputs of an information system or of an IT application to fulfill the requirements of the company and to achieve its goals, making this company more competitive (Shimizu, Carvalho, & Laurindo, 2006). There is a general consensus about the difficulty of finding evidence of returns over the investments in IT (the “productivity paradox”), even though this problem can be satisfactorily explained (Farrell, 2003). Carr (2005) defends the idea that IT in itself has no more strategic value, since it is so widely disseminated that it could not be a source of strategic differentiation anymore. In order to better use these investments, organizations should evaluate IT effectiveness, which allows the strategic alignment of objectives of implemented IT applications and their results with the company business vision (Shpilberg, Berez, Puryear, & Shah, 2007; Laurindo & Moraes, 2006). Besides, it must be highlighted that if IT applications are associated with changes in business processes, it is possible to notice greater impacts in business performance (Farrell, 2003). According to Benko and McFarlan (2003), three aspects must be taken into account about IT strategic alignment: IT projects portfolio, business objectives, and the constantly changing situation of business environment. Thus, the comparison and evaluation of business and IT strategies and between business and IT structures must be a continuous process, since the company situation is constantly changing to meet market realities and dynamics.


Author(s):  
Fernando José Barbin Laurindo ◽  
Marly Monteiro de Carvalho ◽  
Tamio Shimizu

Information technology (IT) has assumed an important position in the strategic functioning of leading companies in competitive markets (Porter, 2001). Particularly, e-commerce and e-business have been highlighted among IT applications (Porter, 2001). Two basic points of view can be used for understanding the role of IT: the acquisition of a competitive advantage at the value chain and the creation and enhancement of core competencies (Porter & Millar, 1985; Duhan et al., 2001).


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 170
Author(s):  
Herdian Ayu Andreana Beru Tarigan ◽  
Darminto Hartono Paulus

<p>Increasing competition in the Indonesian banking industry has encouraged many banks to improve the quality of services to customers by utilizing information technology developments. Service innovation in the use of information technology encourages banks to enter the era of digital banking services. However, the development of digital banking services also increases the risks faced by banks. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the implementation of digital banking services and customer protection for risks from digital banking services. The method used in this study is an empirical legal research method. The results of this study indicate that the implementation of digital banking services is regulated by OJK Regulation No.12/POJK.03/2018. The existence of this OJK Regulation is expected by banks as providers of digital banking services to always prioritize risk management in the use of information technology. In addition, this study also shows the existence of 2 types of customer protection for the use of digital banking services, namely preventive protection in the form of legislation related to customer protection in the financial services sector and repressive protection in the form of bank accountability for complaints from customers using digital banking services.</p>


Author(s):  
Magnus Sparrevik ◽  
Luitzen de Boer ◽  
Ottar Michelsen ◽  
Christofer Skaar ◽  
Haley Knudson ◽  
...  

AbstractThe construction sector is progressively becoming more circular by reducing waste, re-using building materials and adopting regenerative solutions for energy production and biodiversity protection. The implications of circularity on construction activities are complex and require the careful evaluation of impacts to select the appropriate path forward. Evaluations of circular solutions and their environmental effectiveness are often performed based on various types of life cycle-based impact assessments. This paper uses systemic thinking to map and evaluate different impact assessment methodologies and their implications for a shift to more circular solutions. The following systemic levels are used to group the methodologies: product (material life cycle declarations and building assessments), organisation (certification and management schemes) and system (policies, standards and regulations). The results confirm that circular economy is integrated at all levels. However, development and structure are not coordinated or governed unidirectionally, but rather occur simultaneously at different levels. This recursive structure is positive if the methods are applied in the correct context, thus providing both autonomy and cohesion in decision making. Methods at lower systemic levels may then improve production processes and stimulate the market to create circular and innovative building solutions, whereas methods at higher systemic levels can be used, for example, by real estate builders, trade organisations and governments to create incentives for circular development and innovation in a broader perspective. Use of the performance methods correctly within an actor network is therefore crucial for successful and effective implementation of circular economy in the construction sector.


2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Onome Imoniana

Validity is concerned with establishing evidence for the use of a method to be used with a particular set of population. Thus, when we address the issue of application of security policy models, we are concerned with the implementation of a certain policy, taking into consideration the standards required, through attribution of scores to every item in the research instrument. En today's globalized economic scenarios, the implementation of information security policy, in an information technology environment, is a condition sine qua non for the strategic management process of any organization. Regarding this topic, various studies present evidences that, the responsibility for maintaining a policy rests primarily with the Chief Security Officer. The Chief Security Officer, in doing so, strives to enhance the updating of technologies, in order to meet all-inclusive business continuity planning policies. Therefore, for such policy to be effective, it has to be entirely embraced by the Chief Executive Officer. This study was developed with the purpose of validating specific theoretical models, whose designs were based on literature review, by sampling 10 of the Automobile Industries located in the ABC region of Metropolitan São Paulo City. This sampling was based on the representativeness of such industries, particularly with regards to each one's implementation of information technology in the region. The current study concludes, presenting evidence of the discriminating validity of four key dimensions of the security policy, being such: the Physical Security, the Logical Access Security, the Administrative Security, and the Legal & Environmental Security. On analyzing the Alpha of Crombach structure of these security items, results not only attest that the capacity of those industries to implement security policies is indisputable, but also, the items involved, homogeneously correlate to each other.


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