Kim Maes

How IT Enabled Investments Bring Value to the Business : A Literature Review

Already in the nineties, studies discussed the IT productivity paradox, where no clear correlation could be found between IT spend and the bottom-line impact. On the other hand, other research streams emerged, revealing findings that do illustrate the positive impact of IT enabled investments on firm performance. Several studies concluded that the necessary conditions to overcome the IT productivity paradox are to be found in a better IT value management approach. New IT value management frameworks and models are emerging and promoted by both academics and advisory entities, but while organisations recognise its importance, they are still struggling with getting such IT value management practices implemented into their organisations. This paper investigates prior research on IT value management and the implementation of it using a model of structures, processes and relational mechanisms. By doing so, this paper wants to explore future research opportunities for academics and provide practitioners with an accurate overview of proven governance and management practices described in literature that can be used in their day-to-day operations.

IT Value Management as a Vehicle to Unleash the Business Value from IT Enabled Investments: A Literature Study

Already in the nineties studies which discussed the IT productivity paradox, where no clear correlation could be found between IT spend and the bottom-line impact, other research streams emerged, revealing findings that do illustrate the positive impact of IT enabled investments on firm performance. Several studies concluded that the necessary conditions to overcome the IT productivity paradox are to be found in a better IT value management approach. New IT value management frameworks and models are emerging and promoted by both academics and advisory entities, while organizations recognize its importance, they still struggle with getting such IT value management practices implemented into their organizations. This paper investigates prior research on IT value management and the implementation of it using a model of structures, processes and relational mechanisms. By doing so, this paper hopefully will create interest in exploring future research opportunities for academics and provide practitioners with an accurate overview of proven governance and management practices described in literature that can be used in their day-to-day operations.

A Visualization Approach for Reducing the Perceived Complexity of COBIT 5

COBIT 5 is positioned in the market as a de-facto standard for enterprise governance of IT. Relevant literature and management experience, however, indicate that the adoption of the framework is challenging due to its perceived complexity. In this paper we present a software prototype aiming to promote the understanding of COBIT 5, its components and their relationships by means of information visualization, thus facilitating its usage and adoption in scientific and practical context. The current state of evaluating the prototype is outlined.

Investigating a Process Approach on Business Cases: An Exploratory Case Study at Barco

Strategic information technology IT enabled investments are among other types of IT investments, characterised by the highest level of uncertainty and the highest potential for value creation. They are often associated with product/service innovation, new business models or an enterprise-wide transformation e.g. Enterprise Resource Planning ERP investment. Although these may deliver operational excellence and a competitive advantage, it is a risky endeavour with high failure rates. One of the critical factors to achieve a successful outcome is to develop a sound business case. Many organisations perceive a business case as a valuable instrument for investment justification and decision-making, yet other organisations still do not develop a business case due to insufficient knowledge. In response to this knowledge gap, Ward, Daniel, and Peppard 2008 designed a business case development process that ends on investment approval. Others scholars however call for a continuous usage of business cases throughout the entire investment life cycle. The present research responds to this call with an exploratory case study in order to identify multiple business case tasks that complement the process of Ward et al. 2008. The paper starts with a description of background literature on what constitutes a business case whereof the authors derive a new definition. The authors then set the context and structure for an initial business case process based on the contribution by Ward et al., 2008. The findings of the exploratory case study and the initial business case process are discussed.

Developing a Value Management Capability: A Literature Study and Exploratory Case Study

The present research identifies and defines value management practices that can help to accommodate and organize IS investments in order to secure and maximize their value-creating potential. Drawing on the resource-based view, we developed a conceptual model organizing 25 unique practices as part of three distinct competences (structural, process, and relational) that are integrated and mobilized through an overarching Value Management Capability. Findings are based on a literature review and exploratory case study.

On the Need for Evolvability Assessment in Value Management

Contemporary organizations need to dynamically adapt to their rapidly changing environment. This imposes challenges to the entire organization, including its supporting information systems (IS). However, current value management practices pay little attention to evolvability issues within the evaluation and deployment of information technology dependent strategic initiatives (ITDSIs). In this paper, we explore how the evolvability of an information technology (IT) application can be assessed and which practices might be affected if an organization is willing to address this issue. For this purpose, we propose a set of five specific management guidelines. These should lead to ITDSIs yielding more evolvable information systems to an organization, and hence enable the organization to more easily adapt to its environment, providing a competitive advantage.

Continuous Business Case Usage in the Context of a Strategic IT Enabled Investment at Rabobank

It has been argued that optimal value creation from IT enabled investments requires a business case that is used throughout the entire investment lifecycle, as opposed to an approach that terminates when the investment is formally approved. This approach requires a rational transformation in the perspective on business cases in which they need to become a living document that is frequently updated and matures along the investment. This study presents the business case process for a strategic IT enabled investment at Rabobank. The case site was specifically selected for being a high-performer in the area of continuous business case usage. This case study shows how a high-performer operating in an IT intensive industry makes use of a continuous business case approach during a strategic IT enabled investment and the benefits they perceive from it.

Exploring the Business Case Process for IT enabled Investments

Although some organisations still develop weak business cases, the vast majority does an adequate job in order to build a sound justification for their investment decision-making. However, according to some scholars, a transformation is therefore in which the perspective on business cases shifts from document thinking to process thinking. This study presents a part of an exploration of a process perspective on business cases. In order to achieve this objectives, a group of academic and practitioner experts participated in a Delphi study and validated in total 31 business case practices, of which the majority was perceived as highly effective to support the objectives of a business case process. The paper ends with an exploration of the practical application of business case process practices in the context of COBIT 5, as an instance of a widely used practitioners framework.

On the Imperative Solicitude for Evolvability Evaluation in Value Management

A rapidly changing market environment is forcing contemporary organizations to continually adapt themselves. This causes the need for organizational structures, processes as well as their supporting information systems (IS) to adapt accordingly. Nevertheless it is striking to note that few value management practices explicitly incorporate evolvability as an important criterion for their evaluation of information technology dependent strategic initiatives (ITDSI). In this paper, the authors try to make a contribution regarding this issue. They explore some possibilities for assessing the evolvability of an information technology (IT) application. In addition, a set of five specific management guidelines is proposed to guide organizations, which are willing to address this issue, in their efforts. This should enable an organization to more easily select and deploy evolvable information systems, enhance its overall alignment with its environment and obtain a competitive advantage. The relevance of our approach is demonstrated by showing how it fits within the enterprise goals, IT goals and enabling practices as defined by the COBIT framework.