Week 5 - Q2



2. If you are appointed as the CIO /CEO of an organisation, what would you recommend to minimise ITmisalignment? Discuss.

IT Alignment is an ever-changing state in which a business uses Information Technology effectively to achieve business objectives. In other words, it can be simplified as the harmonious link between IT and business and how they can cooperate together to accomplish the same business objective. There are two perspectives to IT alignment;

Process perspective - connecting the business strategy and IT strategy togeher to achieve corporate objectives. The business and IT strategy may differ at the early stages and would require alignment in order for them to achieve synergy.

Stage perspective - views that the development of IT strategy will mature overtime and will gradually be more aligned with the business strategy according to its maturity level (Reich & Benbasat, 1996).

CIO's Recommendations
To minimize IT misalignment from a CIO's point of view is;

1. To have an IT Governance team. An IT governance framework that promotes this would be COBIT, business framework for the governance and management of enterprise IT.

2. To align IT strategy in order to meet business strategies. The IT department of an organization would have to determine what the business needs and how can they contribute to solve the problem or need of the business. Eg. Software-wise.

3. Communicate with senior management and explain. IT and the management have to communicate together effectively in order for each other to understand what each other are trying to convey.

4. In order to increase communication levels, more meetings with IT & business executives would have to be arranged.

5. Education and training programs need to be introduce to the organizations through courses or workshops.

CEO's Recommendations
To minimize IT misalignment from a CEO's point of view is;

1. Communicate business strategy and break down business strategies to specific objectives or goals.

2. Crossover programs where IT personnel should swap places and enter into to the business team and vice versa.

3. Encourage organizational culture change.

4. Building strategy focused on leadership team.

5. Have company retreats