The Interplay Between Human and Structure in IT Strategy

Information Technology (IT) has significant impact on organisation’s success or failure. However, IT does not operate in a vacuum. It is influenced by non-technical factors, such as of human actions and structure, which are inseparable. Hence the relationship between the factors is critical as revealed in this chapter. Structuration was applied as a lens to examine the types of structures that existed during the development and implementation of IT strategy, and the structures that emerged as a result of human action in the organisation used as the case. The chapter presents that both human actions and structures depends on each other on all processes and activities that are involved in the development and implementation of the IT strategy. Drawing from the findings, the chapter develops a model to illustrate how cultural, policy and personal issues enable at the same time constrain activities in the development and implementation of IT strategy.