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Virtual Decoupling for IT/Business Alignment – Conceptual Foundations, Architecture Design and Implementation Example

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  • Stephan Aier
  • Robert Winter

Abstract

IT/business alignment is one of the main topics of information systems research. If IT artifacts and business-related artifacts are coupled point-to-point, however, complex architectures become unmanageable over time. In computer science, concepts like the ANSI/SPARC three-level database architecture propose an architecture layer which decouples external views on data and the implementation view of data. In this paper, a similar approach for IT/business alignment is proposed. The proposed alignment architecture is populated by enterprise services as elementary artifacts. Enterprise services link software components and process activities. They are aggregated into applications and subsequently into domains for planning/design and communication purposes. Most design approaches for the construction of enterprise services, applications and domains are top-down, i. e. they decompose complex artifacts on a stepwise basis. As an alternative which takes into account coupling semantics, we propose a bottom-up approach which is demonstrated for the identification of domains. Our approach is evaluated using a telecommunications equipment case study. Copyright Gabler Verlag 2009

Suggested Citation

  • Stephan Aier & Robert Winter, 2009. "Virtual Decoupling for IT/Business Alignment – Conceptual Foundations, Architecture Design and Implementation Example," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 1(2), pages 150-163, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:binfse:v:1:y:2009:i:2:p:150-163
    DOI: 10.1007/s12599-008-0010-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Buxmann, Peter & Weitzel, Tim & Westarp, Falk von & König, Wolfgang, 1999. "The Standardization Problem : An Economic Analysis of Standards in Information Systems," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 103247, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    2. Buxmann, Peter & Weitzel, Tim & von Westarp, Falk & König, Wolfgang, 1999. "The Standardization Problem : An Economic Analysis of Standards in Information Systems," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 36521, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    3. Michael L. Katz & Carl Shapiro, 1994. "Systems Competition and Network Effects," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(2), pages 93-115, Spring.
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    Cited by:

    1. Morteza Alaeddini & Hamed Asgari & Arash Gharibi & Mona Rashidi Rad, 2017. "Leveraging business-IT alignment through enterprise architecture—an empirical study to estimate the extents," Information Technology and Management, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 55-82, March.
    2. Christoph Dorsch, 2015. "On the Sound Financial Valuation of Flexibility in Information Systems," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 57(2), pages 115-127, April.
    3. Peter Rohner, 2013. "Identity Management for Health Professionals," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 5(1), pages 17-33, February.
    4. Meier, Markus & Rosenkranz, Friedrich, 2011. "Aggregation of Hospital Business Processes," Working papers 2011/08, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.

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