Linking the Information Technology Structure With Organizational Competitive Strategy: A Survey.

Author List: Tavakolian, Hamid;
MIS Quarterly, 1989, Volume 13, Issue 3, Page 309-317.
In a study involving 52 large organizations in the computer components industry, the relationship between information technology structure and organizational competitive strategy was examined. The results indicate that the information technology structure, as measured by the locus of responsibilities for information systems, is strongly related to competitive strategy. For example, an organization with a conservative competitive strategy possesses a more centralized information systems function than an organization with an aggressive competitive strategy. This means that user departments in a conservative organization have less control over their information technology function than user departments in an aggressive organization. These findings provide additional support for the organizational fit concept -- that the conformity between information technology structure and overall organizational context variables, including competitive strategy, is instrumental to the successful implementation of information technology systems.
Keywords: centralization/decentralization; competitive strategy; IT structure; locus of responsibilities; user
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List of Topics

#123 0.449 information strategy strategic technology management systems competitive executives role cio chief senior executive cios sis support organization officer position ceos
#277 0.266 structure organization structures organizational centralized decentralized study organizations forms decentralization processing communication sharing cbis activities appropriate provide identify organizing communications
#253 0.096 user involvement development users satisfaction systems relationship specific results successful process attitude participative implementation effective application authors suggested user's contingency
#240 0.093 systems information management development presented function article discussed model personnel general organization described presents finally computer-based role examined functional components