Evaluating Virtual Organisational Preparedness

As organisations enter an era of information superhighways, expanded electronic commerce, and “virtualness,” executives increasingly realise that in addition to business strategy influencing IT, IT now influences business strategy (Rockart et al., 1996). Hirschheim and Sabherwal (2001) confirmed the validity of previous findings and determined that it is important for organisations to understand the dynamic and emergent nature of business-information systems alignment. Recent perspectives on strategy argue that the basis for achieving competitive advantage, even short term advantage, lies in the configuration of resources that enable value creation through a sustained dynamic and continuous process of adaptation and change (Wheeler, 2002; Zahra & George, 2002; Breu & Peppard, 2001). Alignment competencies are created by leveraging the organisation’s specific resources and processes, structures and practices (Cumps et al., 2006).