IS Strategic Planning for Operational Efficiency

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to argue that, despite the constant economic upheaval and incessant technological changes, strategic planning for information systems is still a useful and critically important exercise for all organizations. Eight tenets for successful IS planning are identified from prior literature and then “tested” with two case studies in which operational efficiency is the strategic IS goal. One of the unexpected findings is that a high-level written plan is not a requirement if the IS objectives clearly target a specific operational objective of the business. The paper also introduces the notion of exploitation and exploration strategies—the former is best when operational efficiency is sought and the latter is needed when competitive advantage is the primary goal.

KEYWORDS:

• SISP
• strategic planning for IS
• operational efficiency
• role of CIO
• implementation strategy
• IS strategy