Key factors influencing the alignment between information technology and business objectives

Abstract

The need for alignment between IT and Business objectives has been identified by many researchers and practitioners as being of major concern to most organizations today. As a result, there have been quite a number of studies that have mostly covered the meaning of alignment, its dimensions, models or frameworks that can be used to ensure desired levels of alignment and how alignment can be measured. This thesis aims to find out what are the key factors, based on six alignment dimensions i.e. social, technical or intellectual, integrated, strategic, structural and financial that influence alignment of IT and business objectives. The researcher made use of the descriptive survey methodology to collect, analyze and interpret data relevant to the research objectives. A questionnaire with open-ended questions was used to collect the data but through personal interviews conducted by the researcher. Subsequently, the data was qualitatively analyzed through the use of content analysis approach. The research outlines the relationship of the key alignment factors to all the alignment dimensions; including two that have been included by the researcher i.e. structural and financial dimensions. This provides a wider coverage for research especially on the structural and financial dimensions that have previously not extensively been researched on. The study conducted has a direct implication to the Kenyan banking industry. The research provides Kenyan banks with a good view of the value of alignment in the Kenyan context. It also highlights the reasons why most banks have alignment gaps and what can be done to correct this anomaly and eventually result in the successful achievement of corporate objectives. This research provides the first view of key factors that help in ensuring alignment between IT and business objectives within a Kenyan banking institution. The research also outlines for the first time the key factors based on the alignment dimensions. This provides a view of which dimensions contribute the best factors that subsequently have a positive impact on alignment.