Abstract

This research project aimed to better understand how IT governance supports organizations in their business exchanges with other organizations. A model for interorganizational IT governance was synthesized based on literature from network governance streams. Through interviews with senior interorganizational IT governance committee members and IT executives, the critical IT governance factors and tactics employed that bring about successful interorganizational relationships were identified. These factors included IT governance structures, process tools and participants when undertaking interorganizational relationships, as well as interorganizational maturity. Identifying these factors allowed for the creation of a strategic model of interorganizational IT governance. Patterns of interorganizational IT governance constructs were analyzed against the success of interorganizational relationships. Emergent interorganizational IT governance construct classes were identified from the gathered data: emergent structure categories included outsourced form, networked form and value-chain form; emergent process focus included inward and outward focuses; emergent participant groups included unilateral, bilateral and committees; and emergent maturity stages included market, network and hierarchy.