Information-induced strategic alignment: toward a semiological analysis

The concept of strategic alignment between organizational policies for business and information systems (IS) has not been defined previously in informational terms. In this paper, we define informational aspects of organizational behavior in three semiological dimensions: pragmatics, semantics and syntactics. We also introduce dynamics as a fourth dimension to address time-related changes. We demonstrate the importance of these ideas in the analysis of strategic alignment by taking recent examples to show how informational attributes are often implicitly discussed in the literature. We believe that the precise definition of the informational aspects of alignment is a necessary prerequisite for the advancement of understanding in this important area.

[1]  William R. King,et al.  Integration Between Business Planning and Information Systems Planning: Validating a Stage Hypothesis , 1997 .

[2]  Henry Mintzberg,et al.  The structuring of organizations : a synthesis of the research , 1980 .

[3]  John Mingers,et al.  An evaluation of theories of information with regard to the semantic and pragmatic aspects of information systems , 1996 .

[4]  John C. Henderson,et al.  Strategic Alignment: Leveraging Information Technology for Transforming Organizations , 1999, IBM Syst. J..

[5]  Robert D. Galliers,et al.  Towards the integration of e-business, knowledge management and policy considerations within an information systems strategy framework , 1999, J. Strateg. Inf. Syst..

[6]  Jerry N. Luftman,et al.  Achieving and Sustaining Business-IT Alignment , 1999 .

[7]  I. Prigogine,et al.  Order out of chaos , 1984 .

[8]  Kay M. Nelson,et al.  International Conference on Information Systems ( ICIS ) 1993 THE CONTRIBUTION OF SHARED KNOWLEDGE TO IS GROUP PERFORMANCE , 2017 .

[9]  Steven W Sender.  Systematic Agreement: A Theory of Organizational Alignment. , 1997 .

[10]  D. L. Gorlée.  Handbook of Semiotics , 1997, English and American Studies in German.

[11]  Sue Holwell,et al.  Information, Systems and Information Systems: Making Sense of the Field , 1998 .

[12]  Benn R. Konsynski,et al.  Strategic Control in the Extended Enterprise , 1993, IBM Syst. J..

[13]  William R. King,et al.  Integration between Business Planning and Information Systems Planning: An Evolutionary-Contingency Perspective , 1997, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[14]  C. Morris.  Foundations of the theory of signs , 1938 .

[15]  Namchul Shin.  Creating business value with information technology : challenges and solutions / [edited by] Namchul Shin. , 2003 .

[16]  M. Zviran,et al.  Top management toolbox for managing corporate IT , 1999, CACM.

[17]  David K. Allen,et al.  Trust, power and interorganizational information systems: the case of the electronic trading community TransLease , 2000, Inf. Syst. J..

[18]  Grover S. Kearns,et al.  The effect of strategic alignment on the use of IS-based resources for competitive advantage , 2000, J. Strateg. Inf. Syst..

[19]  Yolande E. Chan,et al.  Business Strategic Orientation, Information Systems Strategic Orientation, and Strategic Alignment , 1997, Inf. Syst. Res..

[20]  R. Thietart,et al.  Chaos Theory and Organization , 1995 .

[21]  Mark S. Granovetter.  Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness , 1985, American Journal of Sociology.

[22]  Abdul A. Rasheed,et al.  Nurturing strategic coherency , 1991 .

[23]  John M. Ward,et al.  'Mind the Gap': diagnosing the relationship between the IT organisation and the rest of the business , 1999, J. Strateg. Inf. Syst..

[24]  Steve Clarke.  Information Systems Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach , 2001 .

[25]  William R. King,et al.  Strategic Planning for Management Information Systems , 1978, MIS Q..

[26]  F. McFarlan,et al.  Corporate Information Strategy and Management: Text and Cases , 2002 .

[27]  Adrian Davies,et al.  A Strategic Approach to Corporate Governance , 1999 .

[28]  Yolande E. Chan.  Information Systems Strategy, Structure and Alignment , 2001 .

[29]  Henry Mintzberg,et al.  Power in and Around Organizations , 1983 .

[30]  Albert L. Lederer,et al.  Information Resource Planning: Overcoming Difficulties in Identifying Top Management's Objectives , 1987, MIS Q..

[31]  Thompson S. H. Teo,et al.  Critical success factors in the alignment of IS plans with business plans , 1999 .

[32]  Peter Weill,et al.  alignment: Learning , 2022 .

[33]  J. Horovitz,et al.  NEW PERSPECTIVES ON STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT , 1984 .

[34]  Michael J. Earl,et al.  Information Management: The Organizational Dimension , 1996 .

[35]  David E. Avison,et al.  Suggestions for capturing corporate vision in strategic information systems , 1998 .

[36]  Dale Goodhue,et al.  Task-Technology Fit and Individual Performance , 1995, MIS Q..

[37]  Rajiv Sabherwal,et al.  The Alignment between Organizational Critical Success Factors and Information Technology Capability in Academic Institutions , 1994 .

[38]  Izak Benbasat,et al.  Factors That Influence the Social Dimension of Alignment Between Business and Information Technology Objectives , 2000, MIS Q..

[39]  Ronald K. Stamper,et al.  Organisational Semiotics: Informatics without the Computer? , 2001 .

[40]  Neil F. Doherty,et al.  The relative success of alternative approaches to strategic information systems planning: an empirical analysis , 1999, J. Strateg. Inf. Syst..

[41]  M. Venkatraman.  It-enabled business transformation: from automation to business scope redefinition , 1994 .

[42]  Jerry N. Luftman.  Assessing Business-IT Alignment Maturity , 2000, Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst..

[43]  R. Stacey.  Emerging strategies for a chaotic environment , 1996 .

[44]  William R. King,et al.  Assessing the impact of proactive versus reactive modes of strategic information systems planning , 2000 .

[45]  V. Aldrich,et al.  Signs, Language, and Beahavior , 1947 .

[46]  A. K. Kochhar,et al.  An Empirical Study of the Alignment Between Manufacturing and Marketing Strategies , 2000 .

[47]  P. Checkland.  Systems Theory and Management Thinking , 1994 .

[48]  R. Stacey.  Strategic Management and Organisational Dynamics: The Challenge of Complexity , 1999 .

[49]  Varun Grover,et al.  Profiles of Strategic Information Systems Planning , 1999, Inf. Syst. Res..

[50]  Ritu Agarwal,et al.  Aligning the IT Human Resource with Business Vision: The Leadership Initiative at 3M , 2000, MIS Q..

[51]  M. Klein.  Information politics , 1985 .

[52]  Peter Checkland,et al.  Soft Systems Methodology in Action , 1990 .

[53]  William P. Bottom,et al.  Making Tough Decisions: Tactics for Improving Managerial Decision Making , 1989 .

[54]  Larry Downes,et al.  Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance , 1998 .

[55]  Mark R. Nelson.  Alignment through Cross-Functional Integration , 2001 .

[56]  William R. King,et al.  An empirical study of the impacts of integrating business planning and information systems planning , 1999 .

[57]  D. L. Simms,et al.  Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies , 1986 .

[58]  I. Prigogine,et al.  The end of certainty : time, chaos, and the new laws of nature , 1997 .

[59]  Janice M. Burn,et al.  A comparison of the views of business and IT management on success factors for strategic alignment , 2000, Inf. Manag..

[60]  N. Chorn.  The “Alignment” Theory: Creating Strategic Fit , 1991 .

[61]  Varun Grover,et al.  Using information and information technology for sustainable competitive advantage: Some empirical evidence , 1989, Inf. Manag..

[62]  Thompson S. H. Teo,et al.  How useful are strategic plans for information systems? , 2000, Behav. Inf. Technol..

[63]  J. C. Mingers,et al.  Information and meaning: foundations for an intersubjective account , 1995, Inf. Syst. J..

[64]  Mark S. Granovetter.  Economic Institutions as Social Constructions: A Framework for Analysis , 1992 .

[65]  R. Stamper.  Information in business and administrative systems , 1973 .

[66]  Henry Mintzberg,et al.  The Fall and Rise of Strategic Planning , 1994 .