Abstract
In terms of competitiveness, Business-IT Alignment (BITA) is still a crucial challenge for busi- ness leaders and CIOs, especially in the context of Digital Transformation and time-to-market challenges. Core Operational BITA can be seen as a projection of BITA to the Enterprise In- formation System perimeter, i.e., the operational alignment between the business processes and supporting IT. It is a major source of issues (e.g., strong couplings, maintenance costs, tech- nical debt, slow adaptation). These cause a misalignment and thus contribute to the well-known Business-IT Gap. In this paper, we review the current state of this operational alignment in the context of Enterprise Architecture (EA) i.e. between the Business Process layer and the Applic- ation layer. Our analysis focuses on the models used at the Business Process and Application layers, the existing or potential links between these layers, and the use of these links to carry out a core operational alignment and facilitate the detection of potential divergence points. As a res- ult, we notably outline some current limitations, such as modelling disparities, misuse of links between the two layers and an under-coverage of real alignment processes. We also discuss some lessons learned and future challenges, mainly around modelling needs and consistency management between the two considered layers.
Paper Type
Full Paper
DOI
10.62036/ISD.2023.6
A Review of Core Operational Business-IT Alignment
In terms of competitiveness, Business-IT Alignment (BITA) is still a crucial challenge for busi- ness leaders and CIOs, especially in the context of Digital Transformation and time-to-market challenges. Core Operational BITA can be seen as a projection of BITA to the Enterprise In- formation System perimeter, i.e., the operational alignment between the business processes and supporting IT. It is a major source of issues (e.g., strong couplings, maintenance costs, tech- nical debt, slow adaptation). These cause a misalignment and thus contribute to the well-known Business-IT Gap. In this paper, we review the current state of this operational alignment in the context of Enterprise Architecture (EA) i.e. between the Business Process layer and the Applic- ation layer. Our analysis focuses on the models used at the Business Process and Application layers, the existing or potential links between these layers, and the use of these links to carry out a core operational alignment and facilitate the detection of potential divergence points. As a res- ult, we notably outline some current limitations, such as modelling disparities, misuse of links between the two layers and an under-coverage of real alignment processes. We also discuss some lessons learned and future challenges, mainly around modelling needs and consistency management between the two considered layers.
Recommended Citation
André, P., Tamzalit, D., Benjilany, A., & Bruneliere, H. (2023). A Review of Core Operational Business-IT Alignment. In A. R. da Silva, M. M. da Silva, J. Estima, C. Barry, M. Lang, H. Linger, & C. Schneider (Eds.), Information Systems Development, Organizational Aspects and Societal Trends (ISD2023 Proceedings). Lisbon, Portugal: Instituto Superior Técnico. ISBN: 978-989-33-5509-1. https://doi.org/10.62036/ISD.2023.6