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Profiles of Strategic Information Systems Planning

Author

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  • Albert H. Segars

    (Department of Management, The Kenan-Flagler Business School, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3490, McColl Building, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3490)

  • Varun Grover

    (Management Science Department, College of Business Administration, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208)

Abstract

Improving strategic planning within the realm of information technology management is consistently identified by top corporate executives as a critical competitive issue. While relevant literature in the area is replete with descriptions of planning tools and methodologies, investigations that examine this activity from the perspective of process-based characteristics, or “profiles,” are still in the formative stages. Through multivariate analysis of data gathered from 253 organizations, the findings of this study suggest that five distinct profiles of strategic planning can be identified based on dimensions of comprehensiveness (extent of solution search), formalization (existence of rules and procedures), focus (extent of innovation versus integration), flow (top-down, bottom-up), participation (number and variety of planners), and consistency (frequency of planning). While each profile exhibits strength across particular measures of planning effectiveness, the profile associated with all measures of planning effectiveness seems to incorporate elements of rationality (high comprehensiveness, high formalization, control focus, top-down flow) and adaptation (high participation, high consistency). Postsurvey field study of selected firms suggests that the five approaches may represent distinct “schools” of thought that are reflective of deep-seated beliefs and attitudes about strategic planning. These schools ( design , planning , positioning , learning , and political ) are founded on very different assumptions and provide substantive interpretation for the empirical findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Albert H. Segars & Varun Grover, 1999. "Profiles of Strategic Information Systems Planning," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 10(3), pages 199-232, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:10:y:1999:i:3:p:199-232
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.10.3.199
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Chi, Lei & Jones, Kiku G. & Lederer, Albert L. & Li, Pengtao & Newkirk, Henry E. & Sethi, Vijay, 2005. "Environmental assessment in strategic information systems planning," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 253-269.
    3. Mirchandani, Dinesh A. & Lederer, Albert L., 2014. "The impact of core and infrastructure business activities on information systems planning and effectiveness," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 622-633.
    4. Maria Alaranta & Stefan Henningsson, 2008. "An approach to analyzing and planning post-merger IS integration: Insights from two field studies," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 307-319, July.
    5. Kennedy Njenga, 2015. "On Information Systems Security and when it Matters to Collectively Improvise: A Case in South Africa," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 5(8), pages 59-64, August.
    6. Rolf Teubner, 2013. "Information Systems Strategy," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 5(4), pages 243-257, August.
    7. Hassani, Abdeslam & Mosconi, Elaine, 2022. "Social media analytics, competitive intelligence, and dynamic capabilities in manufacturing SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    8. Teubner, Rolf Alexander & Pellengahr, Alexander Robert, 2013. "State of and perspectives for IS strategy research: A discussion paper," ERCIS Working Papers 16, University of Münster, European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS).
    9. Mirchandani, Dinesh A. & Lederer, Albert L., 2008. "The impact of autonomy on information systems planning effectiveness," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 789-807, October.
    10. Teubner, Rolf Alexander & Mocker, Martin, 2008. "A literature overview on strategic information systems planning," ERCIS Working Papers 6, University of Münster, European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS).
    11. Akter, Shahriar & Wamba, Samuel Fosso & Gunasekaran, Angappa & Dubey, Rameshwar & Childe, Stephen J., 2016. "How to improve firm performance using big data analytics capability and business strategy alignment?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 113-131.

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