Validating the Domains of an Inter-Organizational Business-IT Alignment Assessment Instrument: A Case Study

CIOs can judge the effectiveness of their business-IT alignment activities by assessing maturity of processes in domains relevant to alignment. Currently, assessment instruments that support this are being developed. This paper reports on a case study aimed at validating four process domains we deemed necessary for inclusion in an assessment instrument that focuses on business-IT alignment at the level of inter-organizational collaboration. Our case study research draws on empirical evidence from an inter-organizational collaboration among different government departments within the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico. The case study revealed that the domains included in the alignment assessment instrument are the most important ones to address when achieving business-IT alignment in inter-organizational collaborations.