The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective

This essay advances the study of strategic alignment by explaining how and why misalignment occurs. We begin by summarizing why IT and business strategies evolve in unintended ways, a phenomenon known as strategic drift. Using the causal loop diagramming approach of system dynamics, we observe that...

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Main Author: Baker, Jeff (author)
Other Authors: Singh, Harminder (author)
Format: article
Published: 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11073/16526
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author Baker, Jeff
author2 Singh, Harminder
author2_role author
author_facet Baker, Jeff
Singh, Harminder
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Baker, Jeff
Singh, Harminder
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2019-11-26T06:31:57Z
2019-11-26T06:31:57Z
2019
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv Baker, J. and Singh, H. (2019). The roots of misalignment: insights on strategy implementation from a system dynamics perspective. Journal of Strategic Information Systems. In press. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsis.2019.101576
0963-8687
http://hdl.handle.net/11073/16526
10.1016/j.jsis.2019.101576
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2019.101576
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Strategic alignment
Strategy
Strategic IS planning
Drift
Governance
Process theory
System dynamics
Causal loop
Feedback
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Peer-Reviewed
Postprint
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
description This essay advances the study of strategic alignment by explaining how and why misalignment occurs. We begin by summarizing why IT and business strategies evolve in unintended ways, a phenomenon known as strategic drift. Using the causal loop diagramming approach of system dynamics, we observe that several sources of drift, potentially resulting in misalignment, are paradoxically built into the process of strategy formation and enactment itself. These linked subprocesses involve multiple actors at multiple levels of an organization and operate to promote (or hinder) strategic alignment. This paper contributes to the literature by enumerating and modeling both the top-down processes that can promote (or hinder) strategic alignment, as well as the less-studied bottom-up processes, ultimately yielding a more nuanced, dynamic, process-oriented understanding of strategic alignment. Directions for future research include the study of alignment at the process and group levels, as well as an exploration of settings where certain types of strategic drift and misalignment yield beneficial outcomes.
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identifier_str_mv Baker, J. and Singh, H. (2019). The roots of misalignment: insights on strategy implementation from a system dynamics perspective. Journal of Strategic Information Systems. In press. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsis.2019.101576
0963-8687
10.1016/j.jsis.2019.101576
network_acronym_str aus
network_name_str aus
oai_identifier_str oai:repository.aus.edu:11073/16526
publishDate 2019
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spelling The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics PerspectiveBaker, JeffSingh, HarminderStrategic alignmentStrategyStrategic IS planningDriftGovernanceProcess theorySystem dynamicsCausal loopFeedbackThis essay advances the study of strategic alignment by explaining how and why misalignment occurs. We begin by summarizing why IT and business strategies evolve in unintended ways, a phenomenon known as strategic drift. Using the causal loop diagramming approach of system dynamics, we observe that several sources of drift, potentially resulting in misalignment, are paradoxically built into the process of strategy formation and enactment itself. These linked subprocesses involve multiple actors at multiple levels of an organization and operate to promote (or hinder) strategic alignment. This paper contributes to the literature by enumerating and modeling both the top-down processes that can promote (or hinder) strategic alignment, as well as the less-studied bottom-up processes, ultimately yielding a more nuanced, dynamic, process-oriented understanding of strategic alignment. Directions for future research include the study of alignment at the process and group levels, as well as an exploration of settings where certain types of strategic drift and misalignment yield beneficial outcomes.2019-11-26T06:31:57Z2019-11-26T06:31:57Z2019Peer-ReviewedPostprintinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfBaker, J. and Singh, H. (2019). The roots of misalignment: insights on strategy implementation from a system dynamics perspective. Journal of Strategic Information Systems. In press. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsis.2019.1015760963-8687http://hdl.handle.net/11073/1652610.1016/j.jsis.2019.101576https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2019.101576oai:repository.aus.edu:11073/165262024-08-22T11:44:08Z
spellingShingle The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
Baker, Jeff
Strategic alignment
Strategy
Strategic IS planning
Drift
Governance
Process theory
System dynamics
Causal loop
Feedback
status_str publishedVersion
title The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
title_full The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
title_fullStr The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
title_full_unstemmed The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
title_short The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
title_sort The Roots of Misalignment: Insights on Strategy Implementation from a System Dynamics Perspective
topic Strategic alignment
Strategy
Strategic IS planning
Drift
Governance
Process theory
System dynamics
Causal loop
Feedback
url http://hdl.handle.net/11073/16526