Diploma Thesis from the year 2008 in the subject Computer Science - Commercial Information Technology, grade: 1,0, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, language: English, abstract: Changing industry structures and altering rules of competition is why most companies today face a new challenge in creating a competitive advantage. The meaning of Information Technology (IT) has changed from just being available to accelerating and facilitating processes to an integral part of the company’s mission and strategy. IT governance is what defines the holistic perspective of how to deal with and use IT, especially in large companies. The objective is to create advantages by aligning IT and corporate strategy in order to create value while minimizing risk and monitoring the performance of IT. Many different frameworks and standards have emerged over the last years, providing processes and control objectives for keeping the company’s IT in a value-adding track. However, an important issue seems to be the huge availability of various frameworks. This mostly results in problems concerning the right decision on frameworks to be selected. Implementing efficient IT governance requires using only those processes that cover the individual IT-related issues and problems of a company best, while ignoring unnecessary ones. The use of frameworks is associated with costs and may quickly result in an inefficient use of IT governance. The present thesis addresses this challenge and shall help IT decision makers to decide on an efficient framework or set of frameworks. In order to do so, a model analyzes the fit between discovered IT-related problems and various existing publicly available frameworks. Different surveys and market analyses will be used for identifying possible IT-related problems. The creation of problem-clusters will help to determine the most efficient framework by measuring the coverage of processes by different frameworks. As a result, this thesis will provide an approach to avoid processes that may not be necessary while covering important ones for an efficient use of IT governance frameworks.
Diploma Thesis from the year 2008 in the subject Computer Science - Commercial Information Technology, grade: 1,0, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, language: English, abstract: Changing industry structures and altering rules of competition is why most companies today face a new challenge in creating a competitive advantage. The meaning of Information Technology (IT) has changed from just being available to accelerating and facilitating processes to an integral part of the company's mission and strategy. IT governance is what defines the holistic perspective of how to deal with and use IT, especially in large companies. The objective is to create advantages by aligning IT and corporate strategy in order to create value while minimizing risk and monitoring the performance of IT. Many different frameworks and standards have emerged over the last years, providing processes and control objectives for keeping the company's IT in a value-adding track. However, an important issue seems to be the huge availability of various frameworks. This mostly results in problems concerning the right decision on frameworks to be selected. Implementing efficient IT governance requires using only those processes that cover the individual IT-related issues and problems of a company best, while ignoring unnecessary ones. The use of frameworks is associated with costs and may quickly result in an inefficient use of IT governance. The present thesis addresses this challenge and shall help IT decision makers to decide on an efficient framework or set of frameworks. In order to do so, a model analyzes the fit between discovered IT-related problems and various existing publicly available frameworks. Different surveys and market analyses will be used for identifying possible IT-related problems. The creation of problem-clusters will help to determine the most efficient framework by measuring the coverage of processes by different frameworks. As a resu
This book is a revised edition of the best selling title Implementing IT Governance (ISBN 978 90 8753 119 5).For trainers free additional material of this book is available. This can be found under the "Training Material" tab. Log in with your trainer account to access the material. In all enterprises around the world, the issues, opportunities and challenges of aligning IT more closely with the organization and effectively governing an organization s IT investments, resources, major initiatives and superior uninterrupted service is becoming a major concern of the Board and executive management. An integrated and comprehensive approach to the alignment, planning, execution and governance of IT and its resources has become critical to more effectively align, integrate, invest, measure, deploy, service and sustain the strategic and tactical direction and value proposition of IT in support of organizations. Much has been written and documented about the individual components of IT Governance such as strategic planning, demand management, program and project management, IT service management, strategic sourcing and outsourcing, performance management, metrics, compliance and others. Much less has been written about a comprehensive and integrated approach for IT/Business Alignment, Planning, Execution and Governance. This title fills that need in the marketplace and offers readers structured and practical solutions using the best of the best practices available today. The book is divided into two parts, which cover the three critical pillars necessary to develop, execute and sustain a robust and effective IT governance environment:- Leadership, people, organization and strategy,- IT governance, its major component processes and enabling technologies. Each of the chapters also covers one or more of the following action oriented topics:- the why and what of IT: strategic planning, portfolio investment management, decision authority, etc.;- the how of IT: Program/Project Management, IT Service Management (including ITIL); Strategic Sourcing and outsourcing; performance, risk and contingency management (including COBIT, the Balanced Scorecard etc.) and leadership, team management and professional competences.
The issues, opportunities and challenges of aligning information technology more closely with an organization and effectively governing an organization s Information Technology (IT) investments, resources, major initiatives and superior uninterrupted service is becoming a major concern of the Board and executive management in enterprises on a global basis. An integrated and comprehensive approach to the alignment, planning, execution and governance of IT and its resources has become critical to more effectively align, integrate, invest, measure, deploy, service and sustain the strategic and tactical direction and value proposition of IT in support of organizations. Much has been written and documented about the individual components of IT Governance such as strategic planning, demand (portfolio investment) management, program and project management, IT service management and delivery, strategic sourcing and outsourcing, performance management and metrics, like the balanced scorecard, compliance and others. Much less has been written about a comprehensive and integrated IT/Business Alignment, Planning, Execution and Governance approach. This new title fills that need in the marketplace and gives readers a structured and practical solutions using the best of the best principles available today. The book is divided into nine chapters, which cover the three critical pillars necessary to develop, execute and sustain a robust and effective IT governance environment - leadership and proactive people and change agents, flexible and scalable processes and enabling technology. Each of the chapters also covers one or more of the following action oriented topics: demand management and alignment (the why and what of IT strategic planning, portfolio investment management, decision authority, etc.); execution management (includes the how - Program/Project Management, IT Service Management and Delivery with IT Infrastructure Library {ITIL} and Strategic Sourcing and outsourcing); performance, risk and contingency management (e.g. includes COBIT, the balanced scorecard and other metrics and controls); and leadership, teams and people skills. Endorsements 'Selig has brought together his years of practical experience and his academic training to produce a valuable resource on how to successfully manage IT. He uses IT governance as the focal point for executing best practices to create alignment between IT and the business. In today s marketplace, where no organization can compete effectively without alignment, this book can become the executive handbook for IT management' Christine V. Bullen, Senior Lecturer, Howe School of Technology Management, Stevens Institute of Technology 'Dr. Selig has written an extremely comprehensive book on IT Governance. It is so comprehensive that today's IT leader need look at few other sources to ensure that they have nailed what it takes to lead a world-class IT organization. It provides details, yet serves as a easily reference-able road-map for today's busy IT executives it's a great desktop companion!' Stu Werner, Executive Vice President and CIO, Li & Fong, U.S.A. 'Dr. Selig s book on this topic is a great resource for all IT practitioners and brings together every critical aspect relating to IT governance. This book lays out a roadmap to executing within a solid governance model. It looks at all aspects of establishing, marinating, growing and sustaining an IT ecosystem. The combination of case studies and disciplined approaches to building well structured processes, committed leaders and change agents will help the board, executive management and most of all, CIO s and IT professionals think through what has worked, what can work and how to deployIT governance successfully. I very much enjoyed reading the chapters. I think you have a great book and I look forward to reading it when it comes out' Dick LeFave, CIO, Sprint Nextel 'In an era when strong IT governance is an increasingly critical component of visionary business and technology leadership, Dr Selig's book provides a welcome compendium of successful practices. Experienced leaders will find it a valuable reference, while early-career managers will appreciate the clear, actionable framework for developing high-quality, sustainable governance models of their own' Hank Zupnick, CIO, GE Real Estate 'Dr Selig's book is a well thought out and comprehensive reference guide on the successful governance of IT in context of the larger business. It successfully combines practical check lists and governance models with real world insights in an easy to read format.The book is organized into logical sections that make it easy to find topics of relevance. This book will be useful when setting up a new governance model or challenging and improving what is in place today. It is written in a format that allows the reader to stand back from the detail and look a the bigger picture, recognizing that an integrated approach to IT governance is critical to the overall health of a successful business.Dr Selig has captured this complex topic in a way that will prove a valuable reference for all levels of Executives and managers that are involved in IT governance' Nicholas Willcox, Director IT, Unilever Americas 'Dr. Selig s blend of executive IT and senior level business experience in major companies combined with many years of teaching experience and research effort have enabled him to create a unique book that blends many different components and perspectives on IT Governance into a single framework. Written for senior and aspiring IT and business leaders, his book draws upon practical experience, research, and best practices as well as the collective wisdom of the many senior IT leaders he has interacted with in teaching IT Governance. A five star rating!' James R. Shea, Director, Syracuse University, Center for Business Information Technologies 'Dr. Selig has created a veritable IT Governance Encyclopedia for the 21st century IT executive. If something isn t covered here, you probably don t need to know it' Peter Schay, Executive VP, The Advisory Council
The advent of the Information Society is marked by the explosive penetration of information technologies in all aspects of life and by a related fundamental transformation in every form of the organization. Researchers, business people and policy makers have recognized the importance of addressing technological, economic and social impacts in conjunction. For example, the rise and fall of the dot-com hype depended a lot on the strength of the business model, on the technological capabilities available to firms and on the readiness of the society and economy at large sustain a new breed of business activity. However, it is notoriously difficult to examine the cross-impacts of social, economic and technological aspects of the Information Society. This kind of work requires multidisciplinary work and collaboration on a wide range of skills. Social and Economic Transformation in the Digital Era addresses this challenge by assembling the latest thinking of leading researchers and policy makers. The book covers all key subject areas of the Information Society an presents innovative business models, case studies, normative theories and social explanations
This book will show you the state-of-the-art IT governance model that was developed by the largest consulting firm in the world! This pocket guide provides you with an insider's detailed description of Accenture's IT governance policy and details its governance structure. It will show how effective IT governance links IT strategy and IT decisions to Accenture's business strategy and business priorities. Following the best practices approach set out in this pocket guide will serve as an excellent starting point for any organisation with ambitions to achieve high performance. Benefits to business include: Boost productivity How hard do you work in other areas of your business to cut costs and improve efficiency? In testing economic times, is the absence of a clear strategy for your business's IT governance still a realistic option? Learning from Accenture's proven approach will enable you to increase your organisation's competitiveness over the longer term. Coordinate your operations To ensure effective decision-making and align your IT function with your broader business goals, you need to make the structure of your IT governance fit your overall corporate governance structure. That way, you can make your IT work for your business. Manage change effectively IT is crucial for realising the changes you want your business to make. For this reason, you cannot afford to have these changes treated merely as IT projects that have been foisted on the company by the IT department. By bringing top management on board, and giving business leaders a formal role in the IT governance of your organisation, you will make the success of any project with an IT component much more likely. Keep a grip on budgets The costs of IT projects are notoriously prone to overrun, while some IT development programmes have promised more than they ever delivered. The Accenture way of doing business is different. Following the Accenture approach means ensuring that your IT investment is backed by a solid business case, and measuring the return on investment following project completion. High performance Chief executives now put high performance IT among their top strategic objectives. So, if you are looking to improve IT governance in your own organisation, finding out what Robert E. Kress has to say is as good a starting point as any. This book will show you his company's best practice approach to the subject. Whatever business you are in, there is nearly always a clear link b...
Firms with superior IT governance have more than 25% higher profits than firms with poor governance given the same strategic objectives. These top performers have custom designed IT governance for their strategies. Just as corporate governance aims to ensure quality decisions about all corporate assets, IT governance links IT decisions with company objectives and monitors performance and accountability. Based on a study of 250 enterprises worldwide, IT Governance shows how to design and implement a system of decision rights that will transform IT from an expense to a profitable investment.
This new book sets out for managers, executives and IT professionals the practical steps necessary to meet today's corporate and IT governance requirements. It provides practical guidance on how board executives and IT professionals can navigate, integrate and deploy to best corporate and commercial advantage the most widely used frameworks and standards.
This pocket guide is the first result of a project that was started by the Netherlands chapters of ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association), ITSMF and EXIN with the aim of developing a managment instrument that fit standards like ITIL, ISO, security standards and the Balanced Scorecard. It is provided for two purposes. First, it is a quick reference guide for those not acquainted with this field of work. Second, it is a high level introduction to ISACA's standard COBIT that will encourage further study. The guide follows the process structure of COBIT but it differs from COBIT in several ways, adding new information to the structure, from the perspective of IT management.
