The Importance of Business IT Alignment  

In the past decade the growth of information technology, popularly known as ‘IT', and the dependence of business on software development has become increasingly prominent. The alignment of the two processes has grown into a huge corporate issue. However, the fact that the IT industry has come into the spotlight by emerging from the back office to the fore front of things has widened the rift. Cooperation is fast becoming an increasingly important requirement in the modern day business environment.

Many IT professionals seem to be of the opinion that they seldom get the required support from the business executives. They lack the close cooperation of the business managers and decisions in implementing IT infrastructure are increasingly delayed. Managers of businesses need to understand the fundamental features of cooperation if they are to efficiently analyze and restructure their industrial relationship.

IT and Business Processes Work Hand-in-Hand
Information Technology is tool that can make businesses function more efficiently. Businesses need to align themselves with IT in order to make the most of this technology, which they in any case need to work with. The sooner the business managers understand this and effectively align their respective departments with IT the sooner business processes will be streamlined leading to greater profits and efficiency.

Reasons For Failure of Business IT Alignment
Some of the reasons for the failure of business IT alignment are:

• Political
• Success/failure
• Not continual in nature
• Historical Business structure (No plan for IT)

Political reasons: Business managers not belonging to IT fields and resent the importance being given to IT managers in recent years. Success/failure caused by IT managers being given preference in making strategic decisions in the business process. Managers do not like IT professionals to change business processes to suit IT needs. Many business professionals seem to be of the view that their efforts are the actual reason behind the day-to-day successes of the business, and having to share this with IT professionals is a great drawback to their career.

Ciotalkradio.com will bring IT heads and business executives on the same platform and discuss business IT alignment issues in depth. Ciotalkradio.com strives to search out and implement solutions for problems being faced with the IT industry. Sign up for their news letter or better still tune into listen to their discussions on ciotalkradio.com. You never know when you will find them discussing a problem you are facing at work, and propose a solution for it too.