The document summarizes research on the relationship between ITIL processes and IT/business alignment. The research studied 41 organizations across several industries. It assessed alignment using Luftman's Strategic Alignment Model and ITIL process maturity. Key findings showed that Service Level Management positively correlates with communication, business relationship management, and business value dimensions of alignment. Incident Management and service desks also contribute to alignment contrary to common beliefs. The conclusion is that ITIL alone does not ensure alignment and customers' views of alignment may differ from IT's views.

1. Session 601: Two ITIL Processes That
Pack Big Business Punch!
Mauricio Corona, PhD
@MauricioCorona

2. Agenda
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1. The research
2. Research questions and background
3. Scope
4. Variables
5. Main findings
6. Main conclusions

3. The research
Addressing the dilemma of Information
Technologies (IT)/Business alignment is an
extremely important area to investigate.
IT/Business Alignment is considered as a main
important issue in order to harmonize IT
strategic goals with organizational goals
(Tapscott & Caton, 1993).
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4. These findings add credence to the importance
of achieving a high level of maturity in the
IT/Business alignment.
Recent studies have found a positive correlation
between high levels of IT/Business alignment and
high levels of Competitive Advantage for
Businesses (Luftman, 2008).
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1. (Hu and Huang, 2005; Duffy, 2002; Marchand, Kettinger and Rollins, 2001; Bergeron, Raymond and Rivard, 2001; Maes,
Rijsenbrij, Truijens and Gondola, 2000; Reich and Benbasat, 1996, 2000; Tallon and Kraemer, 1998; Teo and King, 1996, 1997;
Luftman, 2000; Henderson and Venkatraman, 1993)
Information
Technology Alignment
Business
The research

5. Research Questions
Is it important to get IT/Business alignment?
How can organizations get the IT/Business alignment?
Most executives and organizations are turning to see “the promise
of ITIL (Information technology infrastructure Library)”
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6. Research background
This research has been conducted for
more than 6 years.
Main objective
To find if there is any kind of
correlation between the maturity of
some ITIL processes and the maturity
of the alignment dimensions
considered as part of the alignment
phenomenon.
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7. Scope of research
41 organizations from these sectors:
– 12 Financial
– 6 Academic
– 4 Oil, gas, energy
– 8 Outsourcing
– 4 Government
– 7 Telecommunications

8. Alignment variables
To assess the alignment variables the research is based on
(Luftman’s, 2006) strategic alignment model. This model was
adopted and adapted to the context of this research, the main
dimensions translated into variables are:
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Communication
Business Value
Governance
Business Relationship Management
IT Architecture
Staff Skills

9. Communications
Is the effective exchange of ideas and a clear
understanding of what it takes to ensure successful
strategies. This variable is high on the list of
enablers and inhibitors to alignment

10. Business Value
Is necessary when too many IT organizations
cannot demonstrate their value to the business
in terms that the business understands.
Frequently, business and IT metrics of
value differ

11. Governance
Takes the considerations for IT governance that
includes how the authority for resources, risk,
conflict resolution, and responsibility for IT is shared
among business partners, IT management and service
providers

12. Business Relationship Management
Considers the relationship that exists among the
business and IT organizations is another
criterion that ranks high among the enablers
and inhibitors of alignment

13. IT Architecture
This set of criteria assesses the extent to which IT is able
to:
• Go beyond the back office and the front office of the
organization
• Assume a role supporting a flexible infrastructure that is
transparent to all business partners and customers
• Evaluate and apply emerging technologies effectively
• Enable or drive business processes and
strategies as a true standard
• Provide solutions customizable to
customer needs

14. Staff Skills
Encompasses all IT human resource
considerations, such as how to hire and fire,
motivate, train and educate, culture….

15. ITIL variables
The ITIL processes and function were translated
into variables:
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Financial Management for IT Services
Service Level Management
Availability Management
IT Service Continuity Management
Capacity Management
Incident Management
Problem Management
Change Management
Release & Deployment Management
Service Asset and Configuration
Management
Service Desk

16. Service Level Management
Ensure that all current and planned IT services are
delivered to agreed achievable targets.
'I think most of us want service-level assurance
more than we want a service-level agreement.'
Peter Coffee

17. Incident Management
Restore normal service operation as quickly as
possible and minimize the adverse impact on
business operations

18. Service Desk
Is a functional unit and should be the single
point of contact for IT users on a day-by-day
basis

19. Main findings
Business
Value
Government
Business
Relationship
Management
Communication

20. Main findings
Business
Value
Communication

21. Main findings
Business
Value
Business
Relationship
Management
Communication

22. Main conclusions
1. Stop thinking that……..
Customers and users perception about alignment
is the same IT thinks it is; SLM process showed 4
positive correlations, this is the stronger punch to
IT - Business alignment.

23. Main conclusions
2. Stop thinking that……..
Incident Management process is an operational
process and it does not help IT to get business
alignment.

24. Main conclusions
3. Stop thinking that……..
Service Desks is the function that has to be
conformed by inexperienced people with less
skills than other lines of support.

25. Main conclusions
4. Stop thinking that……..
ITIL framework is the only thing that you need in
order to get IT business alignment.

26. Thank you for attending this session.
Don’t forget to complete the evaluation!
m.corona@bpgurus.com
@MauricioCorona

27. Support slides for questions

28. RESEARCH METHOD
To provide a representation of each
organization’s alignment maturity level at the
time of the study, a cross-sectional design
was employed utilizing 12 survey
assessment instruments that were
developed based on ITIL theory and
Strategic Alignment Model.

29. INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT
The alignment instrument were developed using Likert
items for the scales to be able to measure maturity levels
(do not confuse this with CMM model).
To assess the maturity of each variable all of the ITIL
instruments were developed using nominal scales and
each item were assessed on a dichotomous scale (do not
confuse this with CMM model). The ITIL processes were
operationalized as independent variables and the
alignment model operationalized as dependent variable
through a congruence matrix.

30. Outputs from Atlas Ti
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31. Reliability and Validity
Reliability is defined as the extent to which a
questionnaire, test, observation or any
measurement procedure produces the same
results on repeated trials. In short, it is the
stability or consistency of scores over time or
across raters.
Validity is defined as the extent to which the
instrument measures what it purports to
measure.

32. Cronbach Alpha
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33. Chi-square sample
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1. Ho:xy1=o
a. Chi C < Chi T ∴ can’t reject H0.
2. Ho:xy2=o
a. Chi C > Chi T ∴ H0 is rejected.
3. Ho:xy3=o
a. Chi C < Chi T ∴ can’t reject H0.
4. Ho:xy4=o
a. Chi C < Chi T ∴ can’t reject H0.
5. Ho:xy5=o
a. Chi C > Chi T ∴ H0 is rejected.
6. Ho:xy6=o
a. Chi C > Chi T ∴ H0 is rejected.