The influence of strategy-making types on IT alignment in SMEs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and compare the influence of three strategy‐making modes (planned, adaptive and entrepreneurial) on IT‐business strategy alignment in small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approach – Empirical research using a questionnaire was conducted. In total, 108 SME owners and managers participated in the study and the data were analysed using quantitative techniques.Findings – The planned mode provided better results as predicted. Each strategy‐making mode was found to influence certain specific aspects of alignment and performance. For instance the planned mode ensures better understanding of business and IT objectives and provides high growth sales. The adaptive mode encourages participation of stakeholders in planning and improves communication and staff productivity. The entrepreneurial mode can facilitate immediate revision of plans in organizations operating in dynamic and competitive environment.Research limitations/implications – Many...

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