The rapid advancement and penetration of information technology (IT), amid continued questions over its benefits, has resulted in research efforts to understand the extent to which IT resources contribute to organisational performance. There is little question that the presence of IT contributes to organisational performance. Our understanding of how and where IT contributes to value in organisations, however, is limited. Current IT business value research advances the notion that firm’s IT-related capabilities ability to leverage their IT resources explains the IT-related performance differences across firms. Understanding the nature of the IT-related capabilities, and their relationship with IT resources can provide a better understanding of how organisations can make better use of their IT resources. IT resources are dynamic and change at a rapid pace. Current IT business value research suggests the firm’s IT-related capabilities at a point in time can source value from the IT resources. However, firms IT-related capabilities must demonstrate parallel dynamics to maximise their influence on their IT resources. In this dynamic resource relationship environment, firm’s ability to sustain a level of influence on their IT resources will determine the extent of IT resources’ value-creating ability. Using the resource-based view of the firm that suggest an organisation is a bundle of resources, and using a complementary theoretical lens, this study introduces a higher-level resource, co-created by combining two or more complementary resources. This higher-level resource is capable of contributing to business value on its own, and importantly, can help organisations sustain their existing IT-related capabilities. The sustainable IT-related capabilities will have a better influence on the IT resources and will source better IT-related business value. This higher-level resource can also help with the timing of IT investments, and can provide an environment where a firm’s technical IT skills can better integrate the IT resources into the business processes. On measurement of organisational performance, this study suggests that a unique combination of organisational resources creates an efficient and effective internal environment that then becomes a powerful tool to enhance the key external process of customer service. Such enhancements in process-level efficiency and effectiveness will carry forward to be recognised in overall firm-level performance. This study develops and tests a model that assesses the association between the two generic IT resources (IT investment and technical IT skills), three IT-related capabilities (top management commitment, shared organisational knowledge, and flexible IT infrastructure), and internal process-level performance. It also assesses whether the IT-Usage Platform, a higher-level co-created resource, on its own associates with, and enhances the generic IT resources’ and IT-related capabilities’ association with internal process-level performance. The study also proposes that improvement in internal process-level performance will be positively associated with external process-level performance of customer service. Firms that improve their internal and external process performance should also improve their firm-level performance. The results, as hypothesised, failed to reject the non-association between the generic IT resources and the internal process-level performance. The study, as predicted, found a positive association between the three IT-related capabilities, IT-Usage Platform, and the internal process-level performance. The IT-Usage Platform indeed enhances the association between the IT-related capabilities and internal process-level performance. The results also suggest that the association between the technical IT skills and internal process-level performance improves in the presence of the IT-Usage Platform. Firms’ improved internal process-level performance also relates to improvement in external process-level performance. Improvement in the internal-external process performance also contributes to performance at the firm level. For research, this study demonstrates that the complementarity and the resource-based view theories allow inclusion of a greater variety of resources in a bundle of capable resources that could be a source of IT-related business value. The complementary theoretical lens also enables one to consider firms’ higher-level resources, co-created from complementary resources. The result is a robust model with the flexibility to consider other forms of resource interactions that sustain firms existing IT-related capabilities. The model also enables comparison of IT and other organisational resources on a level-platform and allows for a deeper understanding of how organisations can better leverage their IT resources. The study also presents the internal-external coordination path of IT-related value creation. For decision makers this study reinforces the importance of the concept of a coordinated IT-related change to secure value from their IT investments. It also presents decision makers with a visual IT business value path from internal process benefits to external process benefits, and finally to firm-level benefits. This study suggests all organisational resources, through various combinations, could be a source of IT-related business value. Future research can consider resources that are at the boundary of capable/non-capable resources to evaluate whether firms various resource arrangements can make these resources more valuable in sourcing IT-related business value. This research also provides strong theoretical arguments to consider other higher-level factors that may have the potential to sustain firms existing IT-related capabilities.

O valor da Tecnologia da Informação (TI) para o negócio, na perspectiva de recursos isolados de TI, tem apresentado resultados mistos. Além disso, esse valor tem sido avaliado no nível da Firma, por meio de medidas agregadas de desempenho como rentabilidade, participação no mercado e eficiência. Como alternativa a essa abordagem, esta pesquisa adota o conceito de Capacidades de TI como um conjunto de recursos em uso pelas organizações. Também, outros construtos em níveis inferiores ao Desempenho da Firma (DF) são considerados – Qualidade da Informação (QI) e Desempenho no Nível de Processos (DP). Portanto, alternativamente às abordagens de valor da TI, esta pesquisa tem o objetivo de identificar o valor das Capacidades de TI e o seu impacto sobre a Qualidade da Informação e sobre o Desempenho Organizacional nos níveis de Processos e da Firma. O teste das hipóteses de pesquisa é precedido por entrevistas com especialistas de TI (gestores), no intuito de validar o modelo proposto. Adicionalmente, procedeu-se à tradução das variáveis para a survey. Especialistas em SI (pesquisadores) também participaram da avaliação das variáveis do modelo de medida, julgando sua permanência ou exclusão. Surveys Pré-teste e de Estudo Piloto foram realizadas com vistas ao refinamento do instrumento de coleta e do modelo de medida, respectivamente. Na survey completa participaram 150 gestores de TI e de negócios ligados a grandes organizações brasileiras. Os dados foram analisados com Modelagem de Equações Estruturais, a fim de validar o modelo de medida e testar as hipóteses do modelo. Pelo teste do modelo estrutural na survey completa, constatou-se que as Capacidades de TI Internas estão associadas ao nível de Qualidade da Informação e ao Desempenho no Nível de Processos. As Capacidades de TI Externas, por outro lado, não impactam positivamente na QI nem sobre os níveis de desempenho (Processos e Firma). Um modelo de mediação do Desempenho de Processos foi testado na survey completa. Constatou-se a mediação completa, sustentando a hipótese de que as Capacidades de TI Internas exercem impacto sobre o Desempenho da Firma, mediado por processos de negócio. Os resultados são apoiados por estudos que defendem que o valor da TI é captado direta e primeiramente em nível de Processos. As contribuições, limitações e recomendações da pesquisa constam nas Considerações Finais da tese. / The value of Information Technology (IT) to business, from the perspective of individual IT resources, has shown mixed results in the literature. Furthermore, this value has been evaluated at the firm level, through aggregate measures of performance such as profitability, market share and efficiency. As an alternative to such perspective, this research adopts the concept of IT Capabilities as a set of resources in use by organizations. Likewise, other constructs at lower levels than the Firm Performance are considered – namely Information Quality (IQ) and at the Process level Performance. So, alternatively to approaches about the value of IT, this research aims to identify the value of IT Capabilities and theirs impacts on the Information Quality and on the Performance, at the Processes and the Firm levels. The test of research’s hypothesis is preceded by interviews with IT specialists (managers) in order to validate the research model. Additionally, we proceeded to the translation of the variables for the survey. Information Systems experts (researchers) also participated in the evaluation of the variables to the measurement model, judging its presence or deletion. Surveys Pre-test and Pilot Study were conducted with a view to refining the data collection instrument and the measurement model, respectively. The full survey was answered by 150 IT’s and business’s managers in large Brazilian organizations. Data were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling in order to validate the measurement model and testing hypotheses of the research model. For the test of the structural model in the full survey, it was found that the Internal IT Capabilities are associated with the level of Quality of Information and at the Process Level Performance. The External IT Capabilities, on the other hand, do not impact positively on IQ, neither on the performance levels (Processes and Firm). One model of mediation for Process level Performance was tested in the full survey. It was found full mediation, supporting the hypothesis that Internal IT Capabilities exert impact on the performance at the Firm level, mediated by business processes. The results are supported by researches that argue value of IT is captured direct and firstly at the Processes level. The contributions, limitations and recommendations of the research are contained in the end of the thesis.

O valor da Tecnologia da Informação (TI) para o negócio, na perspectiva de recursos isolados de TI, tem apresentado resultados mistos. Além disso, esse valor tem sido avaliado no nível da Firma, por meio de medidas agregadas de desempenho como rentabilidade, participação no mercado e eficiência. Como alternativa a essa abordagem, esta pesquisa adota o conceito de Capacidades de TI como um conjunto de recursos em uso pelas organizações. Também, outros construtos em níveis inferiores ao Desempenho da Firma (DF) são considerados – Qualidade da Informação (QI) e Desempenho no Nível de Processos (DP). Portanto, alternativamente às abordagens de valor da TI, esta pesquisa tem o objetivo de identificar o valor das Capacidades de TI e o seu impacto sobre a Qualidade da Informação e sobre o Desempenho Organizacional nos níveis de Processos e da Firma. O teste das hipóteses de pesquisa é precedido por entrevistas com especialistas de TI (gestores), no intuito de validar o modelo proposto. Adicionalmente, procedeu-se à tradução das variáveis para a survey. Especialistas em SI (pesquisadores) também participaram da avaliação das variáveis do modelo de medida, julgando sua permanência ou exclusão. Surveys Pré-teste e de Estudo Piloto foram realizadas com vistas ao refinamento do instrumento de coleta e do modelo de medida, respectivamente. Na survey completa participaram 150 gestores de TI e de negócios ligados a grandes organizações brasileiras. Os dados foram analisados com Modelagem de Equações Estruturais, a fim de validar o modelo de medida e testar as hipóteses do modelo. Pelo teste do modelo estrutural na survey completa, constatou-se que as Capacidades de TI Internas estão associadas ao nível de Qualidade da Informação e ao Desempenho no Nível de Processos. As Capacidades de TI Externas, por outro lado, não impactam positivamente na QI nem sobre os níveis de desempenho (Processos e Firma). Um modelo de mediação do Desempenho de Processos foi testado na survey completa. Constatou-se a mediação completa, sustentando a hipótese de que as Capacidades de TI Internas exercem impacto sobre o Desempenho da Firma, mediado por processos de negócio. Os resultados são apoiados por estudos que defendem que o valor da TI é captado direta e primeiramente em nível de Processos. As contribuições, limitações e recomendações da pesquisa constam nas Considerações Finais da tese. / The value of Information Technology (IT) to business, from the perspective of individual IT resources, has shown mixed results in the literature. Furthermore, this value has been evaluated at the firm level, through aggregate measures of performance such as profitability, market share and efficiency. As an alternative to such perspective, this research adopts the concept of IT Capabilities as a set of resources in use by organizations. Likewise, other constructs at lower levels than the Firm Performance are considered – namely Information Quality (IQ) and at the Process level Performance. So, alternatively to approaches about the value of IT, this research aims to identify the value of IT Capabilities and theirs impacts on the Information Quality and on the Performance, at the Processes and the Firm levels. The test of research’s hypothesis is preceded by interviews with IT specialists (managers) in order to validate the research model. Additionally, we proceeded to the translation of the variables for the survey. Information Systems experts (researchers) also participated in the evaluation of the variables to the measurement model, judging its presence or deletion. Surveys Pre-test and Pilot Study were conducted with a view to refining the data collection instrument and the measurement model, respectively. The full survey was answered by 150 IT’s and business’s managers in large Brazilian organizations. Data were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling in order to validate the measurement model and testing hypotheses of the research model. For the test of the structural model in the full survey, it was found that the Internal IT Capabilities are associated with the level of Quality of Information and at the Process Level Performance. The External IT Capabilities, on the other hand, do not impact positively on IQ, neither on the performance levels (Processes and Firm). One model of mediation for Process level Performance was tested in the full survey. It was found full mediation, supporting the hypothesis that Internal IT Capabilities exert impact on the performance at the Firm level, mediated by business processes. The results are supported by researches that argue value of IT is captured direct and firstly at the Processes level. The contributions, limitations and recommendations of the research are contained in the end of the thesis.

O valor da Tecnologia da Informação (TI) para o negócio, na perspectiva de recursos isolados de TI, tem apresentado resultados mistos. Além disso, esse valor tem sido avaliado no nível da Firma, por meio de medidas agregadas de desempenho como rentabilidade, participação no mercado e eficiência. Como alternativa a essa abordagem, esta pesquisa adota o conceito de Capacidades de TI como um conjunto de recursos em uso pelas organizações. Também, outros construtos em níveis inferiores ao Desempenho da Firma (DF) são considerados – Qualidade da Informação (QI) e Desempenho no Nível de Processos (DP). Portanto, alternativamente às abordagens de valor da TI, esta pesquisa tem o objetivo de identificar o valor das Capacidades de TI e o seu impacto sobre a Qualidade da Informação e sobre o Desempenho Organizacional nos níveis de Processos e da Firma. O teste das hipóteses de pesquisa é precedido por entrevistas com especialistas de TI (gestores), no intuito de validar o modelo proposto. Adicionalmente, procedeu-se à tradução das variáveis para a survey. Especialistas em SI (pesquisadores) também participaram da avaliação das variáveis do modelo de medida, julgando sua permanência ou exclusão. Surveys Pré-teste e de Estudo Piloto foram realizadas com vistas ao refinamento do instrumento de coleta e do modelo de medida, respectivamente. Na survey completa participaram 150 gestores de TI e de negócios ligados a grandes organizações brasileiras. Os dados foram analisados com Modelagem de Equações Estruturais, a fim de validar o modelo de medida e testar as hipóteses do modelo. Pelo teste do modelo estrutural na survey completa, constatou-se que as Capacidades de TI Internas estão associadas ao nível de Qualidade da Informação e ao Desempenho no Nível de Processos. As Capacidades de TI Externas, por outro lado, não impactam positivamente na QI nem sobre os níveis de desempenho (Processos e Firma). Um modelo de mediação do Desempenho de Processos foi testado na survey completa. Constatou-se a mediação completa, sustentando a hipótese de que as Capacidades de TI Internas exercem impacto sobre o Desempenho da Firma, mediado por processos de negócio. Os resultados são apoiados por estudos que defendem que o valor da TI é captado direta e primeiramente em nível de Processos. As contribuições, limitações e recomendações da pesquisa constam nas Considerações Finais da tese. / The value of Information Technology (IT) to business, from the perspective of individual IT resources, has shown mixed results in the literature. Furthermore, this value has been evaluated at the firm level, through aggregate measures of performance such as profitability, market share and efficiency. As an alternative to such perspective, this research adopts the concept of IT Capabilities as a set of resources in use by organizations. Likewise, other constructs at lower levels than the Firm Performance are considered – namely Information Quality (IQ) and at the Process level Performance. So, alternatively to approaches about the value of IT, this research aims to identify the value of IT Capabilities and theirs impacts on the Information Quality and on the Performance, at the Processes and the Firm levels. The test of research’s hypothesis is preceded by interviews with IT specialists (managers) in order to validate the research model. Additionally, we proceeded to the translation of the variables for the survey. Information Systems experts (researchers) also participated in the evaluation of the variables to the measurement model, judging its presence or deletion. Surveys Pre-test and Pilot Study were conducted with a view to refining the data collection instrument and the measurement model, respectively. The full survey was answered by 150 IT’s and business’s managers in large Brazilian organizations. Data were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling in order to validate the measurement model and testing hypotheses of the research model. For the test of the structural model in the full survey, it was found that the Internal IT Capabilities are associated with the level of Quality of Information and at the Process Level Performance. The External IT Capabilities, on the other hand, do not impact positively on IQ, neither on the performance levels (Processes and Firm). One model of mediation for Process level Performance was tested in the full survey. It was found full mediation, supporting the hypothesis that Internal IT Capabilities exert impact on the performance at the Firm level, mediated by business processes. The results are supported by researches that argue value of IT is captured direct and firstly at the Processes level. The contributions, limitations and recommendations of the research are contained in the end of the thesis.