Critical success factors in the alignment of IS plans with business plans

Abstract

The alignment of IS plans with business plans is not an easy task and knowing which are the critical areas to manage will certainly enhance the success of such efforts. Although there is a large amount of research on critical success factors (CSFs), past studies usually examine CSFs of specific systems implementation (e.g., M R P) and total quality management (TQM). Relatively few studies exist on the CSFs related to aligning IS plans with business plans. This paper presents the results of an empirical study of IS executives on the relative importance of various CSFs for aligning IS plans with business plans. The results indicate that top management commitment to the strategic use of IT, IS management knowledge about business, and top management confidence in the IS department are the top three CSFs. Implications of the results are discussed.