Strategic Alignment and Global Information System Implementation

In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on the effect of the alignment of a business’s strategy and its information systems on the success of information system implementation. Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) contend that “the inability to realize value [as a measure of IS implementation success] from I/T investments is, in part, due to the lack of alignment between the business and the I/T strategies of organizations.” This issue is more complex in firms that engage in international business activities. Alignment of a business’s global business strategy and its global information systems is difficult to achieve because of the added complexity created by the international aspects of its information systems. The effect of attaining such alignment on system success is, therefore, an even more important question for international businesses than for domestic businesses.