Towards a model for information technology governance applicable to the banking sector

Information Technologies (IT) play a crucial role in the development of activities concerning banking organizations. To achieve IT Governance, while at the same time giving special consideration to the attainment of business objectives, is of essential interest to any banking organization. This article presents a model for IT Governance which is applicable to the banking sector, which begins with the identification of COBIT processes that support the fulfilment of the principles of operative risk defined by BASEL II. It also integrates best practices oriented to risk and investment management for IT, information security and service lifecycle administration, described in models like: RISK IT, VAL IT, ISO 27002 and ITIL respectively. This model allows a banking organization to govern, evaluate and monitor its IT, thus fitting it to its strategic objectives. It also permits it to manage the operative risk from the perspective of normative fulfilment in banking.