The Role of IS and Its Effects on Information Systems Strategic Planning: An Investigation of South African Companies

摘要

Contingency theory suggests that various environmental, organizational and managerial factors will influence an organization's approach to IT management. An empirical study of information systems strategic planning and the role of IS within 90 companies in South Africa was conducted. Results of a partial least squares analysis demonstrate the significant effect that perceptions of the future strategic role of IS within an organisation has on the ISSP process. Moreover, it was found that those organizations in the strategic quadrant of the McFarlan grid emphasized ISSP activities, committed more resources to the ISSP process and attributed greater importance to ISSP-business strategic planning integration mechanisms, than those organizations in the other quadrants of the grid. The contribution of the IS function to the organization's strategic position was also, understandably, significantly higher for firms in the strategic IS environment.