There is considerable evidence that the strategic use of Information Systems can lead to a competitive advantage. There is however, a marked lack of understanding of the options available, as well as the smooth coordination of Information Systems strategy with Business strategy. This paper provides insight into the role of Information Systems and its link with business strategy. It focuses on Information Systems strategy options, and explores the criteria needed for successful Information Systems strategy and Business strategy alignment. The paper presents and examines the results of a study of strategic alignment at Volkswagen of South Africa. Data was obtained from business and Information Technology executives. The result of the study enables Volkswagen not only to benchmark themselves, but also provides direction to enable successful business/IT alignment. It identifies specific actions necessary to ensure that IT is being used to appropriately enable or drive the business strategy.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study has reviewed the current literature and debates on the relevance of conventional strategy formulation given the turbulence in the business environment. Conventional strategy formulation is under attack as a result of the advancement of disruptive technologies such as the Internet. Many have gone further, and referred to this digitization of the business environment as a "new" economy. This study has reviewed a range of literature from academicians as well as practitioners on the relevance of strategy in an Internet environment. Many of the authors, while admitting that real-time fine-tuning of some of the analytical tools currently in use was warranted, still feel that most of the conventional concepts still apply. Businessesare still affected by the same competitive forces of rivalry, substitutes, new entrants and the bargaining powers of suppliers and buyers. Organisations must still look for distinctiveness for them to have a sustainable competitive edge over their rivals. This study has reviewed the impact of the Internet on industry structure, the value chain, and the implications for competitive advantage. The conclusion that can be gleaned from these reviews is that doing business on the Internet will not save businessesfrom failure if they are not applying the correct strategies. The convergence of views appears to be that there is nothing new about the "new" economy, but the technological platform created by the Internet presents major opportunities that can be used in a hybrid form of online practices such as online order processing with established models of brick and mortar such as warehousing. While the study did not intend to produce new or validate existing empirical insights, it is has recommended that the Internet must be used as an enabler and integrated within existing businessprocesses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie hersien die huidige literatuur en bespreek die toepaslikheid van die konvensionele strategieformulasie gegewe die onvoorspelbaarheid in die besigheidsomgewing. Konvensionelestrategieformulering is onder aanval as gevolg van die vordering van omverwerpende tegnologie soos die Internet. Verskeie menings gaan verder, met verwysing na die rekenarisering van die besigheidsomgewing as 'n "nuwe" ekonomie. Hierdie studie hersien 'n reeks van literatuur van akademeci, asook praktisyns oor die toepaslikheid van strategie in die Internet omgewing. Baie van die outeure, terwyl hulle erken dat intydse verfyning van sekere van die analitiese modelle("tools") tans in gebruik geldig is, is hulle terselfdertyd van mening dat die konvensionele konsepte steeds toepaslik is. Besighede word steeds beinvloed deur dieselfde kompeterende drywers van kompetisie, subtitusie, nuwe mark toetreders en die onderhandelingsmag van verskaffers en aankopers. Organisasies moet steeds op die uitkyk bly vir iets wat volhoubare kompeterende voordele inhou oor mededingers. Die gevolgtrekking van hierdie oorsigte is dat besighede nie suksesvol bedryf kan word op die Internet sonder die toepaslike strategie nie. Die herleiding van sieninge wil voorgee dat daar geen verandering is in die "nuwe" ekonomie, maar dat die tegnologiese platform geskep deur die Internet materiële geleenthede bied wat gebruik kan word as deel van intydse praktyke en bestelprosesse met bestaande basiese"briek and mortar" modelle, soos pakhuise. Terwyl die studie nie bedoel om nuwe empiriese insigte te genereer of te staaf nie, word dit aanbeveel dat die Internet gebruik moet word as deel van bemagting van huidige besigheidsmodelle.

Much has been documented about the importance of effective strategic planning as a basis for an organisation to gain a sustainable competitive advantage. Inadequate strategic planning is also widely recognised to be one of the major factors that contribute to the failure of most small organisations. At the same time, developing a strategy for an information technology organisation is increasingly becoming a complex exercise, considering the rate at which the field is growing and the need for organisations in this field to respond quickly to changing market demands. For large organisations, it may be a matter of ensuring that existing, tried and tested strategies are frequently updated. For small organisations on the other hand, this may be a nightmare of an exercise. In this research, the author explores a number of strategic planning approaches with the aim of identifying elements in them that could assist the strategy development process of a small information technology company. After a detailed analysis of conventional approaches to strategic management, it suggests a framework which uses the Core Competence Approach to strategy development as a basis. It is supplemented by selected techniques of Strategic Choice as a toolset for systematic decision-making within the strategy development process of a small information technology company. Also included, is a case study on the application and evaluation of the suggested framework for an initial strategy-development process at a typical small information technology company. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

by Stephen Mak Hung Sung. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese Unversity of Hong Kong, 1990. / Bibliography: leaves B-1-B-3. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.viii / CHAPTER / Chapter I --- BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Impact of Information Technology on General Business and The Public Sector --- p.1 / Information Technology Trends --- p.4 / The Need for Systematic Planning for the Use of Information Technology --- p.5 / The Broad Problem Issues of Information --- p.7 / Systems Strategic Planning (ISSP) The Situation in Hong Kong --- p.9 / Chapter II --- REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING --- p.12 / Recent Studies --- p.12 / A Refined Statement of the Problem --- p.15 / Chapter III --- A FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESSFUL ISSP --- p.16 / The Variables --- p.16 / The General Framework for Success --- p.21 / Chapter IV --- A SURVEY ON THE PRACTICE OF ISSP IN HONG KONG --- p.23 / The Survey --- p.23 / The Survey Method --- p.24 / The Survey Results --- p.28 / Interviews with Information Systems Managers --- p.49 / Revisiting the Framework for Successful ISSP --- p.55 / Chapter V --- A GENERIC MODEL FOR THE ISSP PROCESS --- p.59 / Tasks and Methodologies --- p.59 / Affirming the Benefits of ISSP --- p.61 / Relevance of ISSP to Organizations in Hong Kong --- p.63 / Chapter VI --- RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.65 / A Recommended Approach to ISSP --- p.65 / ISSP and the Information Industry --- p.69 / ISSP and the Government --- p.71 / Chapter VII --- CONCLUDING REMARKS --- p.73 / APPENDICES --- p.A1-A5 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.B1-B3