Exploring design-fits for the strategic alignment of information systems with business objectives

Introduction. This paper proposes the development of the concept of design-5 its and theoretical profiles for aligning information systems design and business strategies in terms of March and Smith's four main information technology artefacts: constructs, models, methods and instantiations. Method. The main research strategy adopted is an interpretative, in-depth case study. We selected SaveCom, a Taiwanese telecommunications company, to explore issues related to design-5 its. This research is primarily based on twenty-two interviews with middle and top managers at SaveCom, supported by secondary information. Analysis. The analysis incorporated three major phases of description (relying heavily on verbatim quotes from interviewees), analysis (identifying important factors, themes, and relationships), and interpretation (making sense of meanings in context). Results. The research proposes three mechanisms of design fit: content fit, which offers an alignment between the nature of business strategic requirements and the spirit of information technology design; structural fit, which involves the alignment of the organizational structural conditions and information technology procedures; and social fit, which considers the alignment of human factors and information technology usage design. Conclusions. Design fit is a complex process and effort must be made to understand dynamic and adaptive alignment processes that can aid the execution of information technology strategy.