Perceptions of Information Technology Governance Maturity Within Public Organizations: A Georgia Perspective
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Authors
Watson, William Todd
Issue Date
2014-05-19
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Public Administration , Governance , Information Technology , Georgia , Management
Alternative Title
Abstract
As organizations become increasingly dependent upon information technology to provide
critical business operations, more emphasis is placed upon the degree to which the
technology function coordinates with organizational strategy. The effort to maintain
control over a highly dynamic segment of the organization is considerable, requiring a
continuous cycle of examination and correction. While iterative processes are beneficial
to rudimentary business alignment efforts, in isolation they typically result in only
modest improvements within the information technology function. A more compelling
mechanism, therefore, is a management-driven program to improve oversight.
In the private sector, increased levels of information technology governance have been
positively correlated to profitability. However, in the public sector in general and in state
governments in particular, few studies have been conducted to measure the relative
maturity levels of governance in the information technology function. Benefits similar to
those in the private sector are expected in the public sphere as information technology
governance maturity increases by improving effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery
of government services.
In this exploratory study, the researcher surveyed organization executives and
information technology managers across a number of state and county agencies in
Georgia to gather and measure perceptions of governance maturity over the information
technology function. The results of the study have several important implications for
executives and policy makers who seek to improve organizational effectiveness.