Start Date
10-12-2017 12:00 AM
Description
IS strategic alignment remains a research phenomenon of key interest, specifically regarding the dimensions of social IS alignment (i.e., shared IS understanding among key organizational members) and intellectual IS alignment (i.e., IS/business strategy congruence). The examination of IS alignment has been predominantly limited to the examination of top ranks within the organization; however, we contend that middle management (MM) are essential organizational stakeholders for IS alignment as supported via upper echelons theory in conjunction with the knowledge-based view of the firm. The findings (derived from MMs across 111 organizations) provide support that: 1) MM strategic knowledge has a complementary influence MM’s ability to develop social alignment with both IS management and the top management team (TMT); and 2) the two alignment dimensions operate in a sequential nature with social alignment linking MM strategic knowledge to intellectual alignment. Our findings provide key insight to both theory and practice.
Recommended Citation
Leidner, Dorothy; Milovich, Michael; and Preston, David, "Rethinking IS Strategic Alignment: A Middle Management Perspective" (2017). ICIS 2017 Proceedings. 2.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2017/Strategy/Presentations/2
Rethinking IS Strategic Alignment: A Middle Management Perspective
IS strategic alignment remains a research phenomenon of key interest, specifically regarding the dimensions of social IS alignment (i.e., shared IS understanding among key organizational members) and intellectual IS alignment (i.e., IS/business strategy congruence). The examination of IS alignment has been predominantly limited to the examination of top ranks within the organization; however, we contend that middle management (MM) are essential organizational stakeholders for IS alignment as supported via upper echelons theory in conjunction with the knowledge-based view of the firm. The findings (derived from MMs across 111 organizations) provide support that: 1) MM strategic knowledge has a complementary influence MM’s ability to develop social alignment with both IS management and the top management team (TMT); and 2) the two alignment dimensions operate in a sequential nature with social alignment linking MM strategic knowledge to intellectual alignment. Our findings provide key insight to both theory and practice.