| dc.description.abstract | This study had three objectives. First was to determine the practices parastatals use to align IS and Business strategies. Second it also sort to identify the extent of IS-Business strategy alignment in parastatals in Kenya. Thirdly it looked at challenges of IS-Business strategy alignment. The need for the study arose because there are benefits that parastatals could reap from IT-Business alignment but no conclusive research has been done to address the subject.
In undertaking the study, Kenyan parastatals with offices in Nairobi were targeted. Primary data was collected using questionnaires from 52 senior managers of Kenyan parastatals. The data analysis was done by means, standard deviations and factor analysis and the findings were presented using tables, frequencies and narratives. The questionnaires were administered electronically.
From the data analysis, it was established that the majority of the respondents were male. It was also established majority of respondents were business oriented as opposed to IT orientation by 73.1% and 26.9% respectively. Majority have worked for less than 5 years in the parastatals. There was evidence that most of the parastatals do not have IT strategies but they consider it to be significant in the organizations policy making. The respondents also felt not involved to a great extend in the formulation of business strategies. Presence of a supportive organizational culture, the use of an IT project steering committee and IT strategy consistence with business goals were the major practices identified in the study. Matching business need to IT, Develop a mitigation strategy, Create processes for governance of IT in relation to business strategy were pointed out as major activities in IT-Business strategy alignment. Non supportive organization structure, lack of IT strategy in place and lack of Business strategy in place were the main challenges identified from the study. Through the study findings, the factors affecting IT-Business strategy alignment process have been established. The role of parastatals in the process needs to be reviewed. Four types of alignment within organizations have been identified. These types of alignment are very well defined and hence suitable for use by any organization which is interested in aligning its business with IS strategy. Activities undertaken are meant to ensure that IS strategy is supposed to support as well as it is supported by the organizational goals, it’s evident that there is need to look into the IT-business strategy alignment process and resolve the factors affecting it. Effective implementation process is a function of many facets as evidenced by the study. This is strengthened by the responses in the research. The government parastatals as the case study have to have the best systems to ensure that there is implementation of IT-Business strategies integration. Every industry player with a responsibility on the implementation of IT-business strategies in the parastatals must practice high ethical standards to ensure compliance and prudent utilization of resources that make integration a success and ensure participation of IT team as integral part of line business management team. | en |
