Reconstructing IT governance using Foucault
by Gerard L. Ilott
International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics (IJBGE), Vol. 11, No. 1, 2016

Abstract: At a time when information and its related technology have never been more important for the conduct of commerce, the question 'what is IT governance?' is far from settled. This paper reviews the first decade of IT governance research and its antecedent literature to obtain a better understanding of how the concept has developed, and why there are tensions and inconsistencies in our understanding of what IT governance is. This paper then introduces IT governance through the lens of Michel Foucault's archeological method and historical periods called epistemes. Some historical events will be analysed to demonstrate that when Michel Foucault's techniques of archaeology are applied, a fuller conceptualisation of IT governance is achieved. The demands and expectations of IT governance have been influenced by changes in power and knowledge relations resulting first from the end user computer movement and the increased availability of information and technology, and second from onerous control requirements imposed upon boards of directors by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. An awareness of these influences and how they resulted in different epistemes of IT governance is important for future researchers, allowing them to be more aware of the environment in which IT governance operates.

Online publication date: Wed, 04-May-2016

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics (IJBGE):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

    Username:        Password:         

Forgotten your password?


Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com