Information Technology Governance and Decision Support Systems

Information technology governance is the set of organizational structures that determine decision-making rights and responsibilities with regard to an organisation's information technology assets. Although an important sub-field of information technology, little research has been done on the issues relating to the governance of decision support systems. This paper argues that decision support systems are significantly different to other kinds of information technology, and that this means there is a need to consider issues specific to their governance. Orlikowski's [17] theory of the Structuration of Technology is used to highlight the fundamental differences between decision support systems and other kinds of information technology, and their respective relationships with organizational structures. Some preliminary recommendations and suggestions for further research into issues of decision support systems governance are made.