Title: Remote application services as means for aligning business and IT

Authors: Tsipi Heart, Nava Pliskin, Kathleen Foley Curley

Addresses: University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. ' Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. ' Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

Abstract: Organisations are constantly aspiring to maximize IT value. Prior research has shown that alignment between business and IT strategies and structures is a prerequisite to capturing IT value, but no previous study has suggested remote hosting as an affordable means for achieving business and IT alignment. The paper demonstrates, via a case study, how such alignment has been achieved by means of remote application services. Two previously published models are used to analyse and discuss the alignment process. The case also presents a somewhat innovative hybrid ASP-outsourcing solution, used to mitigate risks.

Keywords: business strategies; information technology; IT strategies; IT architecture; business–IT alignment; application service providers; ASPs; remote hosting; remote application services; electronic business; e-business; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; hotels; outsourcing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEB.2007.012972

International Journal of Electronic Business, 2007 Vol.5 No.2, pp.176 - 187

Published online: 02 Apr 2007 *

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