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Abstract
Today's organizations increasingly plan new information systems (IS) to better compete. Through such planning, they attempt to align their IS strategy and their business strategy. This study tested the impact of business and information technology (IT) change on strategic information systems planning (SISP) horizon, of horizon on the planning itself, and of the planning on the alignment of IS strategy and business strategy. A questionnaire defined business change, IT change, and alignment as multi-item scaled questions, and planning horizon as a single, nonscaled one. It defined a multi-item scaled SISP measure as both a second-order construct and as single-order constructs for its individual phases. A postal survey collected data from 161 IS executives. Constructs were extensively validated. The analysis used structural equation modeling, and surprisingly found that business change predicted longer SISP horizons, but IT change predicted neither longer nor shorter ones. Planning horizon predicted SISP itself (as a second-order construct and as all of its phases), and such planning (as a second-order construct, and as strategic awareness and strategy conception phases) predicted alignment of IS strategy and business strategy. These findings suggest that practitioners more carefully assess their own degree of caution in setting planning horizons in response to business and IT change. In fact, the findings suggest it may not be necessary for practitioners to shorten planning horizons in a rapidly changing environment.
Notes
1 1 The current study concerns the effects of business and IT change on IS planning horizons, rather than on IT planning horizons that could depend on different factors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Henry E Newkirk
Henry E. Newkirk holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky, an MBA from East Carolina University, and a BS from North Carolina State University. He worked for over 17 years in the telecommunications industry with Sprint. His research interests include strategic information systems planning and electronic commerce. His publications have appeared in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Information and Management, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, Journal of Strategic Information Systems, International Journal of Information Management, and elsewhere. He serves as an Associate Professor in the College of Business at East Carolina University.
Albert L Lederer
Albert L. Lederer earned his MS and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University, and his BA from the University of Cincinnati. He has over 10 years of full-time industry experience. Before becoming a professor at the University of Kentucky, he served on the faculties of the University of Pittsburgh and Oakland University, and taught at Ohio State. The focus of his research for two decades continues to be strategic information systems planning. His work has appeared in the European Journal of Information Systems, MIS Quarterly, Journal of Management Information Systems, Information Systems Research, Communications of the ACM, Sloan Management Review, and elsewhere.
Alice M Johnson
Alice M. Johnson is an assistant professor in the School of Business and Economics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She holds a BA in Business Administration from Winston-Salem State University, an MS in personnel and industrial relations from Winthrop University, and a Ph.D. in decision sciences and information systems from the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky. She has over 10 years of industry experience. Her major research area is information systems strategy. Her research has appeared in the Journal of Management Information Systems, Information Systems Management, and various conference proceedings.