Aligning business and IT in networked organizations is a complex endeavor because in such settings, business-IT alignment is driven by economic processes instead of by centralized decision-making processes. In order to facilitate managing business-IT alignment in networked organizations, we need a maturity model that allows collaborating organizations to assess the current state of alignment and take appropriate action to improve it where needed. In this paper we propose the first version of such a model, which we derive from various alignment models and theories.

Aligning requirements of a business with its information technology is currently a major issue in enterprise computing. Existing literature indicates important criteria to judge the level of alignment between business and IT within a single enterprise. However, identifying such criteria in an inter-enterprise setting-or rethinking the existing onesis hardly addressed at all. Business-IT alignment in such settings poses new challenges, as in inter-enterprise collaborations, alignment is driven by economic processes instead of centralized decision-making processes. In our research, we develop a maturity model for business-IT alignment in inter-enterprise settings that takes this difference into account. In this paper, we report on a multi-method approach we devised to confront the validation of the business-IT alignment criteria that we included in the maturity model. As independent feedback is critical for our validation, we used a focus group session and a case study as instruments to take the first step in validating the business-IT alignment criteria. We present how we applied our approach, what we learnt, and what the implications were for our model. * Supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) under contract number 638.003.407 (Value-Based Business-IT Alignment).

An empirical study that explores business-IT alignment processes in a Dutch cross-governmental partnership is summarized in this paper. The aim of the study was to identify processes that contribute to improve such alignment. This study represents a continuation of previous validation efforts that helped us to confirm the business-IT alignment process areas that should ultimately be included in the ICoNOs MM -a maturity model to assess operational business-IT alignment in networked organizations. Evidence was sought for the alignment of business and IT through the use of information systems to support the requirements of the organization in a specific project. The results of this study in the public sector also are relevant to the private sector where (i) business-IT alignment plays an increasingly valuable role, and (ii) the characteristics of collaborative networked organizations are present.

Aligning requirements of a business with its information technology is currently a major issue in enterprise computing. Existing literature indicates important criteria to judge the level of alignment between business and IT within a single enterprise. However, identifying such criteria in an inter-enterprise setting-or rethinking the existing onesis hardly addressed at all. Business-IT alignment in such settings poses new challenges, as in inter-enterprise collaborations, alignment is driven by economic processes instead of centralized decision-making processes. In our research, we develop a maturity model for business-IT alignment in inter-enterprise settings that takes this difference into account. In this paper, we report on a multi-method approach we devised to confront the validation of the business-IT alignment criteria that we included in the maturity model. As independent feedback is critical for our validation, we used a focus group session and a case study as instruments to take the first step in validating the business-IT alignment criteria. We present how we applied our approach, what we learnt, and what the implications were for our model. * Supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) under contract number 638.003.407 (Value-Based Business-IT Alignment).

Applying principles for business-IT alignment in networked organizations seems to be key for their survival in competitive environments. In this paper, we present a qualitative multiple case study conducted in three collaborative networked organizations: (i) an outsourcing relation between an international IT and business integrator and a mass-marketed service provider, (ii) an inter-organizational collaboration among governmental departments of the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico, and (iii) a networked organization between the province Overijssel, the municipalities Zwolle and Enschede, the water board district Regge & Dinkel and Royal Grolsch N.V. in the Netherlands. Drawing from this case study, we derive four principles that networked organizations seem to adhere to when striving for alignment at a certain level of maturity.