A Resource-based Analysis of IT Personnel Capabilities and Strategic Alignment

Researchers argue that information technology (IT) personnel capabilities and strategic alignment are important organizational resources. Grounded in the resource-based view, this research examines the relationship between IT personnel capabilities and strategic alignment, showing how companies leverage IT effectively on the basis of complementary and co-specialized organizational resources. This research confirmed those IT personnel’s technical skills (e.g., “systems” and “computer”) per se are hardly unique and inimitable resources to enable strategic alignment unless comparable efforts are spent to enhance business skills (e.g., “performance skill”, “business know ledge”, and “organizational skill”) as well. Insights gained from this research help researchers and practitioners to better understand and focus their attention on complementary business skills necessary for IT human resources development. Implications are discussed.