Strategic Alignment Maturity Model (SAMM) in a cascading Balanced Scorecard (BSC) environment: Utilization and challenges

Abstract

SAMM is a useful tool for measuring the maturity of business/IT alignment in an organization at the macro level. However, at the micro level, organizations use several frameworks including cascading BSC, ITIL, COBIT, etc. to align business and IT processes. The complexity of alignment increases with the existence of more than one tier of cascading and usage of different tools or frameworks. Studies have shown that measuring business/IT alignment at the micro level is difficult. Therefore, in order to accurately measure outcomes, mapping between metrics at all levels is required. It is also important to establish metrics that are aligned with those prescribed by SAMM. Using a multi-level cascading BSC that was previously published in BUSITAL by this author, this study attempts to apply the underlying components of SAMM and to establish relevant alignment metrics. It also highlights some applicability problems and suggests appropriate solutions for future implementations. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.