Benchmarking
Our benchmark activities are conducted in two ways
- During our masterclass programmes. These programmes run in different countries in collaboration with leading business schools and universities. More information about these programmes you can find on this website
- Through a cooperation with Prof. Jerry Luftman (Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey). Below you will find some basic information of this quite intensive approach. Please contact us about the conditions.
Download
Please find more information in our download area
What do you get?
The results of the strategic alignment maturity assessment will enable you to identify opportunities for enhancing your organization’s IT-Business integration. You will receive 1) a written assessment analyzing your organization, and 2) a benchmark report comparing your IT-business assessment with those of other companies (over 60 organizations have already participated).
Strategic Alignment Maturity Assessment — Benchmarking Q&A’s
This is an early draft of some possible questions and answers compiled for potential participants in the Strategic Alignment Benchmarking research. These Q&As are aimed at helping the service associates overcome some of the most frequently encountered objections to the program.
Q. So, what is the Strategic Alignment Maturity Assessment?
A. It is a researched-based tool that has been effectively applied by over 100 organizations based upon the seminal work conducted by Dr. Jerry Luftman designed to help organizations assess how well their Information Technology work is aligned with the business. For their participation, the organization gets an assessment of how well their IT and business organizations are aligned, steps to improve the relationship, and how well they stack up against other companies in the benchmark pool.
Q. How does it work?
A. A group of business units and IT managers are selected to participate in the research, either in a business unit, or the entire corporation, and are asked to complete a survey tool comprised of a series of questions about how they believe the IT function in their company works with the rest of the business.
Q. What types of questions are asked?
A. Questions are asked to rate items in several categories but some typical questions are: How well does IT understand the business (and vice versa how well do the business managers understand IT)? How is the IT contribution to the business measured? And, how are IT projects prioritized?
Q. So is this really an “IT bashing” exercise in disguise?
A. No, on the contrary. It is just as likely that the survey would reveal that the business managers have an inadequate knowledge of how IT can help them. Each situation is different. It’s not an audit, it’s more a CRM tool that identifies specific steps to improve the IT business relationship.
Q. How many managers are needed?
A. As many as you wish, the more the better; typically 12.
Q. How long does it take to complete the survey?
A. Usually about 30–40 minutes.
Q. Who sees the responses and how are they tabulated?
A. All responses are returned to bITa Center, either electronically or via the mail, where they are scored. The entire process is kept confidential. No organization or participant is mentioned by name. Feedback is only sent to the organization’s representative.
Q. What is the format of the feedback we get?
A. You receive an individual report with the statistical scores in each of the categories, along with narrative explaining the scores and the observations and insights into the scores, and potential steps to close any major gaps. In addition, their placement vis-à-vis the other companies in the benchmark pool.
Q. Will my senior management see the results?
A.If you want them to, or if they are the sponsor of the survey.
Q. How long does it take to get feedback?
A. That depends on when we get a sufficient number of surveys back to tabulate the results. Normal turnaround time is 60 days after we close out the survey process.
Q. Well I believe we are pretty well aligned now.
A. How do you know, really? Many companies may be partially aligned, good in some area, better in others. But why not be as good as you can? What are other companies in your industry doing?
Q. We did something like this a few years ago and made some adjustments?
A. So, a lot has changed in a few years. New managers, new businesses, organizational shifts, ERP projects questioned, outsourcing, the Web... Never hurts to stay on top of these changes. Alignment is a continuous journey.
Q. How can I learn more?
A. I will e-mail you some more information about it, along with some case studies and testimonials.