Strategic management of information technology: An investigation into it alignment at a tertiary education institution

The information technology (IT) unit in effect provides an essential internal support service to the institution´s business units. This research study investigates the concept of business/IT alignment within the environment of a tertiary education institution, specifically, to identify challenges experienced in achieving alignment and steps that can be taken to improve alignment. A conceptual model was developed to investigate the various factors impacting on business/IT alignment. This model suggests that an assessment of: the strategy formulation processes employed at the institution; the organizational culture at the institution; and the institution´s alignment maturity using strategic alignment maturity criteria will enable the determination of factors inhibiting/enabling alignment. The findings revealed that achieving business/IT alignment is still a pervasive problem within the tertiary education sector, with a number of obstacles inhibiting alignment. Strategy formulation was found to be largely top-down with IT strategies having little input towards shaping organizational strategies. Aspects of the organizational culture, particularly relating to innovation, risk-taking and team-orientation needed to be improved in order to facilitate improved alignment. In addition, assessment of the educational institution in terms of alignment maturity criteria revealed areas for improvement particularly with regards to communications, competency, partnership and scope and architecture maturity.