Assessing business-IT alignment maturity at a Colombian university

Abstract

Over the last decades, the role of the IT department within an organization has gradually gained importance. Technology has permeated all areas within organizations and nowadays is the cornerstone of almost all business processes. Thus, business-IT alignment (BITA) is considered an essential success factor for almost any organization. Consequently, the evaluation and improvement of this alignment have been growing concerns among researchers and organizations. This study assessed the BITA maturity in a Colombian university, applying Luftman’s SAM (strategic alignment maturity) model. The conducted assessment collected, analyzed, and contrasted perceptions of business and IT personnel. Similarly, the authors investigated the personnel’s perceptions at the strategic, functional, and operational levels regarding the SAM factors. Furthermore, they compared the results with other BITA assessments in educational institutions, Latin American organizations, and worldwide results. Finally, they drew some conclusions that can be useful for practitioners who seek to apply Luftman’s assessment.